The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) strongly rejected on Monday China’s “erroneous” and “misleading” statement over the weekend asserting its “indisputable sovereignty” over the entire South China Sea (SCS) and its adjacent waters.

The DFA called the claim historically baseless and unsupported by international law.

The strongly worded statement came two days after the Chinese Embassy in Manila reiterated its maritime jurisdiction over Nanhai Zhudao (SCS islands), including its bordering waters, as a retort to “baseless accusations” from Philippine senior government officials, particularly Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., who called Beijing’s nine-dash line claim “nonexistent.”

DFA maritime affairs spokesperson Rogelio Villanueva asserted that while the Philippines remains committed to resolving maritime disputes through dialogue, China should not mistake this for concession.

“Our pursuit of dialogue reflects a calibrated and principled commitment to peaceful dispute settlement — it does not, in any manner, dilute or qualify the Philippines’ firm, unequivocal positions in the West Philippine Sea. Our sovereignty is non-negotiable. Our resolve is absolute,” he stressed.

China’s recent statement only reaffirmed its assertion of jurisdiction over Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, as part of its territory under the so-called nine-dash line claim.

However, Villanueva argued that the Philippines’ sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc is historically and legally “unassailable,” supported by the Murillo Velarde Map, cartographic records and centuries of administration.

1990 letter rejected

“Sovereignty is not merely claimed — it is exercised. The Philippines has done precisely that, consistently and without interruption,” the DFA official said.

The DFA also rejected a 1990 letter cited by China claiming that the Philippines once acknowledged it had no ownership of Scarborough Shoal, supposedly signed by the late Ambassador to Germany Bienvenido Tan Jr.

The DFA maintained that it will not engage in “speculation over a document of uncertain origin and authenticity, and certainly without value.”

“There is no merit in debating supposed documentary artifacts produced by third parties and presented as posts on social media, especially if these third parties have vested interests and willfully misconstrue and misrepresent established facts,” Villanueva said.

“China must be reminded that maritime and territorial claims are subject to established international legal procedures and dispute settlement mechanisms — not to unilateral proclamations or social media posts,” he added.