Philippine defense officials have dismissed recent China’s claim of the 10-dash line as a joke and mere fiction.
Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, RADM Roy Vincent Trinidad, referred to Beijing's unsubstantiated territorial claim within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone as a "joke" for "entertainment purposes."
Furthermore, he noted that the said "joke" could possibly be intended for the internal audience of the said country, or even some Filipinos, to create confusion and division.
“A joke, designed merely for entertainment purposes. It is absurd, no legal basis, it is beyond normal imagination,” Trinidad said during a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.
‘FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES’
— Edniel Parrosa (@ednielparrosa) March 25, 2025
WATCH: Armed Forces of the Philippines, tinawag na ‘joke’ ang 10-dash line claim ng China sakop ang West Philippine Sea @dzrhnews pic.twitter.com/1DOVFZUpXb
In a separate speech at the Western Command Headquarters in Palawan, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. referred to China’s historical claim as a "fiction" and the "biggest lie."
Teodoro noted that the 10-dash line is not recognized by any Southeast Asian country, especially in light of Manila's victory in the 2016 arbitral case.
