The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday slammed China following its trespassing claims against the country in Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, which is part of the West Philippine Sea.
Last October 30, China's military claimed that a Philippine boat "illegally entered" waters near Scarborough Shoal without authorization.
However, the DFA belied the claims, saying it "has no legal basis."
"The statement of the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), alleging that the BRP Conrado Yap (PS39) intruded in the waters near Bajo de Masinloc on 30 October 2023, has no legal basis and only serves to raise tensions in the West Philippine Sea," the DFA said in a statement.
The DFA said the country's conduct of maritime patrols in the waters around Bajo de Masinloc is a "legitimate and routine act of a sovereign country in its territory and territorial sea."
"There is no obligation for the Philippines as the sovereign state to seek the approval of another when navigating its own territorial sea," it continued.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año earlier called out the action of the Chinese government for "overhyping and creating unecessary tension" between the two countries.
“Under international law, the Philippines has every right to patrol the length and breadth of the West Philippine Sea which necessarily includes Bajo de Masinloc which is well within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ),” Año said in a statement.
“China is again over hyping this incident and creating unnecessary tensions between our two nations,” he added.
