China slams Philippines over twin South China Sea laws, vows ‘resolute’ action if provoked

Beijing has condemned two laws enacted by Manila, saying they breach Chinese rights in the South China Sea, while calling on the Philippines to “immediately stop any unilateral actions that could escalate disputes”.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr on Friday enacted the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, asserting his country’s sea boundaries and rights to maritime resources.

He called them “significant laws that emphasise the importance of our maritime and archipelagic identity”, according to a statement from the presidential communications office.

Beijing had summoned the Philippine ambassador to “lodge stern representations” over the matter, the Chinese foreign ministry said during Friday afternoon’s press briefing.

In a statement issued hours later, the foreign affairs committee of the National People’s Congress (NPC), China’s top legislature, said the Maritime Zones Act “disregards China’s strong opposition and stern representations”, and “seriously infringes China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea”.

The NPC “strongly condemns and firmly opposes this”, the statement said.

It alleged that the act “unlawfully includes China’s Huangyan Island and most islands, reefs and related waters of the Nansha Islands within the Philippine maritime zones,” referring to the contested Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Islands, respectively.

The statement also called the move an attempt by Manila to legitimise the “illegal ruling” of the South China Sea arbitration case through domestic legislation.