The Philippines must move decisively beyond routine diplomatic protests in the face of China’s latest assertion of control over Scarborough Shoal, a retired Supreme Court justice has warned, as Beijing’s declaration of a vast marine nature reserve in contested waters deepens fears over regional stability and Philippine sovereignty.
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“China’s declaration raises the issue of what state has sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc – the Philippines or China,” Antonio Carpio, an ex-Supreme Court senior associate justice, said in a statement on Saturday, using Manila’s official name for the contested shoal.
“Thus, it is not enough for the Department of Foreign Affairs to lodge a perfunctory protest.”
Carpio, a leading voice on the South China Sea dispute, urged Manila to “debunk China’s false narrative” and explain “the legal and historical bases of Philippine sovereignty” to both domestic and international audiences. The Philippines “has the exclusive sovereign right to declare a nature reserve in its own territory and territorial sea”, Carpio added.
His comments follow China’s announcement on September 10 that it had designated a national nature reserve spanning 35 million square metres (376 million sq ft) in the South China Sea – including Scarborough Shoal – which Beijing described as crucial for “diversity, stability and sustainability”.
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The move drew a protest on Thursday from Manila, which condemned it as “illegitimate and unlawful”.