Philippine President Signs New Laws to Secure Sea Rights Amid China Tensions

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Nov. 8 signed two new laws to strengthen Manila’s maritime sovereignty and establish sea lanes for passing foreign vessels—a move that drew ire from Beijing.
During a signing ceremony attended by Philippine lawmakers and senior officials, Marcos said the new laws would strengthen the country’s economic development and national security policies.
“Our people, especially our fisherfolk, should be able to pursue their livelihood free from uncertainty and harassment,” the president said. “We must be able to harness mineral and energy resources in our seabed.”
The Philippine Maritime Zones Act defines the waters and airspace within Philippine territory. It also clarifies the surrounding areas where the country holds sovereignty and jurisdiction in accordance with international law, including the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act provides the Philippine authorities with a legal framework to designate specific maritime passages and aerial routes for foreign ships and aircraft, ensuring their safe passage “without compromising our national security nor diminishing our capacity for good environmental stewardship,” Marcos said.
China’s foreign ministry said later on Nov. 8 that Beijing had summoned Manila’s ambassador regarding the new laws.
“China strongly condemns and firmly opposes it,” Mao Ning, the spokeswoman of Beijing’s foreign ministry, said at a regular briefing in Beijing.
​​Philippine officials stress that China’s maritime laws violate the UNCLOS. During a joint press conference following the signing ceremony, ​​Philippine Sen. Francis Tolentino, who played a key role in drafting the newly adopted maritime zones law, acknowledged the unlikelihood of China’s recognition of the law.
“China is not recognizing this [and] will not recognize this,” Tolentino told reporters on Nov. 8. “The imprimatur that we’ll be getting from the international community would strengthen our position.”
The United States expressed its support for Manila’s enactment of the two laws.
“Many other nations, including fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have enacted similar legislation over the years,” State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a statement on Nov. 9, calling the passage of the Maritime Zones Act “a routine matter” that clarifies Philippine maritime law.
Earlier this month, the United States and South Korea emphasized the need to oppose “unlawful maritime claims” in the South China Sea in a joint statement following meetings between their foreign and defense ministers.
“In the face of China’s unlawful maritime claims in the South China Sea, we remain committed to upholding freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight,” U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at a press conference after this year’s U.S.-South Korea 2+2 ministerial meeting in Washington.