July 8, 2026

The China Institute for Marine Affairs under China's Ministry of Natural Resources released a new report on Wednesday critically examining the Philippines' territorial claims over Huangyan Dao and parts of the Nansha Qundao. The report finds that Manila's historical and legal arguments rest on misinterpreted sources and lack substantive juridical value, serving primarily as pretexts to expand territory beyond internationally recognized limits. Such unilateral efforts not only undermine the postwar order but also pose risks to regional stability and the rule of law at sea. 

Since the 1970s, the Philippines has used presidential decrees, constitutional amendments, and other legislation to claim sovereignty over parts of China's Nansha Qundao and Huangyan Dao on different grounds, revealing its attempt to break through international treaty limits and expand its territory.

The report, titled "Historical and Legal Critique of the Philippines' Territorial Claims in the South China Sea," assesses the Philippines' territorial claims and so-called sovereign "grounds" in the South China Sea, finding that these "grounds" have shifted over time and events, even contradicting each other. Yet, whether examined from a historical or legal perspective, the Philippines' unlawful territorial claims remain unconvincing.

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https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202607/1365452.shtml