Q: The Chinese government issued a statement today which declares the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao. Is this a countermeasure against the Philippines’ Maritime Zones Act?

A: Huangyan Dao has always been China’s territory. In accordance with international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, the Chinese government delimited and announced the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao. This is a natural step by the Chinese government to lawfully strengthen marine management and is consistent with international law and common practices.

The so-called “Philippine Maritime Zones Act” aims to further solidify the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea in the form of domestic legislation and illegally include China’s Huangyan Dao and most of the islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Qundao, and their relevant waters into the Philippines’ maritime zones. This move severely violates China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. China firmly opposes it and will continue to do everything necessary in accordance with law to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.