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The National People’s Congress (NPC) foreign affairs committee opposed and condemned the enactment of the Philippine Maritime Zone Act on Friday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported.
In a statement, the NPC noted that the newly-signed Philippine Maritime Zone Act “seriously violated China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.”
The NPC did not comment on the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, which was also signed on the same day.
“Despite China’s strong opposition and solemn representations, the Philippines insisted on passing the so-called ‘Maritime Zone Act’, which illegally included most of China’s Scarborough Shoal and Nansha Islands and related waters into the Philippine maritime zone, and tried in vain to solidify the illegal award in the South China Sea arbitration case in the form of domestic legislation,” it said.
“China’s National People’s Congress (NPC) resolutely opposes this and strongly condemns it. China has sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and its adjacent waters, the Zhongsha Islands including Scarborough Shoal and its adjacent waters, and has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the relevant waters,” it added.
The Philippine Maritime Zone Act and the Archipelagic Sea-Lanes Act were signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday.
In his speech during the signing, Marcos said the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, “clearly defines the extent of our maritime entitlements and fully declares their metes and bounds in accordance with our Constitution and with the UNCLOS” while the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, “complements both our maritime and aerial policies by establishing a route system in our country’s archipelagic waters and as well the airspace above it.”
“The designated archipelagic sea lanes and air routes aim to facilitate safe passage for foreign ships and aircraft without compromising our national security nor diminishing our capacity for good environmental stewardship,” said Marcos.
“These sea lanes will offer continuous, expeditious, and unobstructed transit for vessels and air transports, while obliging them to comply with navigational regulations and procedures, as well as with the air rules of flight safety and protocols,” he added.
Reiterating its rejection of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal award on the South China Sea, the NPC “urged the Philippine side to immediately stop its illegal acts that infringe on China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests”.
To “immediately stop any unilateral actions that may lead to the escalation of disputes and complications in the South China Sea, and immediately stop its erroneous actions aimed at undermining the overall situation of China-Philippines relations and peace and stability in the South China Sea.” Robina Asido/DMS