Manila has pushed back against Beijing’s latest assertions regarding the status of Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, dismissing claims made by the Chinese Embassy that Philippine authorities previously agreed to tow away the long-stationed military outpost there.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated that “there is no agreement between the Philippines and China obliging Manila to remove the vessel,” clarifying that the grounded ship remains an active, “commissioned Philippine Navy vessel permanently stationed at the shoal.”
Defending Manila’s maritime jurisdiction, the DFA emphasized that “Ayungin Shoal lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.” The agency noted that as a “low-tide elevation,” the feature “cannot generate its own maritime entitlements.”
Addressing Chinese maritime activity in the region, the foreign office stated that Beijing’s “alleged exercise of maritime law-enforcement powers in the area violates the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction.”
The statement also rebuffed criticisms concerning domestic legislation, with the DFA rejecting “the Chinese Embassy’s characterization of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act or Republic Act No. 12064,” affirming that “the law is consistent with UNCLOS.”
Despite ongoing tensions over the territory, the DFA maintained that the “Philippines remains open to dialogue, diplomacy and the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law.”