The Department of National Defense (DND) on Saturday, Aug. 8, rejected China’s demand for the Philippines to abandon its position on Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal), saying it would continue to exercise its sovereignty over the disputed maritime feature.

DND spokesperson Asst. Sec. Arsenio Andolong said the Chinese Ministry of National Defense had made “patently false characterizations” of lawful Philippine actions in the country's territory and maritime areas.

“The Department of National Defense rejects the Chinese Ministry of National Defense’s call to abandon the Philippines’ initiatives and position regarding Bajo de Masinloc and its patently false characterizations of lawful Philippine actions within Philippine territory and maritime areas,” Andolong said in a statement.

The DND issued the statement after the Chinese Ministry of National Defense called on the Phlippines on Friday, Aug. 7, to abandon its “wrong” initiatives and positions involving Bajo de Masinloc.

Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesperson Chen Xi said Manila should stop its alleged “illegitimate acts” that supposedly violate Beijing’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea.

Chen also criticized the Philippines’ submission, through the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), of an updated nautical chart covering Bajo de Masinloc, which China calls Huangyan Dao, to the United Nations last week.

However, the DND stressed that the Philippines’ position on Bajo de Masinloc is anchored on international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which invalidated China’s nine-dash line claims in the South China Sea.

“[Bajo de Masinloc] is an integral and longstanding part of the Philippine national territory, and its maritime zones and entitlements, as established by the Philippines, are strictly in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award,” Andolong said.

The DND said the submission was intended to formally clarify the geographical limits of the country's maritime zones around BDM and give due notice to the international community.

“The recent submission by the Philippines of the updated nautical chart to the United Nations provides the necessary legal clarity and due publicity to the international community on the geographical limits of our maritime zones in Bajo de Masinloc,” Andolong said.

Bajo de Masinloc is located 124 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales, well within the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines, and roughly 470 to 500 nautical miles from Hainan, the nearest mainland coast of China.

“The Philippines will continue the lawful exercise of its sovereignty over BDM,” Andolong said.

The DND also accused China of using false narratives while continuing aggressive activities aimed at challenging the rules-based international order.

“We will not be deterred by China’s false narratives and hooliganism, as evidenced by its continued aggressive activities and attempts to distort history and the rules-based international order,” Andolong noted.