The Seabed Claim and Rebuttals
Beijing officially accused Manila of flagrantly infringing on Chinese sovereignty this week. This stern rebuke occurred after the Philippines formally presented a bid for extended seabed rights. Specifically, Manila submitted its claim to the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Consequently, China strongly urged the commission not to consider this filing under its rules of procedure. Beijing explicitly denounced the Philippine submission as a pretext to hype up the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award. Meanwhile, Malaysia also rejected the Philippine bid due to overlapping maritime claims in the resource-rich waterway.
Manila’s Stance and Legal Arguments
The Philippine government stated that the partial submission covers the West Palawan Region. Officials actively argued that this specific seabed represents a natural prolongation of the Palawan-Mindoro microcontinent. Furthermore, this formal filing resulted from 15 years of extensive hydrographic and geological surveys. Manila stressed that the move demonstrates its strong commitment to a rules-based maritime order. However, this legal action directly coincides with stepped-up military activities across the disputed region. For instance, the Philippines recently completed joint naval and air exercises with the United States and Japan.
Escalating Regional Tensions
In response, the Chinese military quickly announced routine air and naval patrols in the area. Furthermore, severe diplomatic and physical confrontations continue to escalate between the two nations. Recently, Chinese coastguard vessels used water cannons on Philippine fishing boats near Scarborough Shoal. In addition, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. firmly rebuked China during his State of the Nation Address. He also summoned the Chinese ambassador over controversial animated videos published by Chinese state media. Despite these intense clashes, foreign ministers from both nations recently met in Manila to emphasize the vital need for ongoing dialogue.
Reference
Jiangtao, S., & Jiangtao, S. (2026, 30 julio). China accuses Philippines of ‘flagrantly infringing’ on sovereignty in seabed claim. South China Morning Post. https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362407/china-accuses-manila-flagrantly-infringing-sovereignty-un-seabed-claim?share=S6lzgFE1oizFK%2FgIXUnGzwUBrsvLood8g21beVy%2Bzy4AKJTcCH8N%2BXOqBbwT3JFpOvKYMXmEbZz4AgfPjMH53MAeHpDHgUk5O0je90jp5og%3D&utm_campaign=social_share