The Chinese Embassy’s use of a 1990 letter does not constitute a significant basis for China’s claim to Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela on Saturday.

“The letter they [Chinese Embassy] publicized does not really mean anything,” said Tarriela in an interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE.

On 14 March, the Chinese Embassy released a 1990 letter written by then Philippine Ambassador to Germany Bienvenido A. Tan Jr.

The letter stated that Scarborough Reef, also known as Huangyan Dao, does not fall within Philippine sovereign territory based on information from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.

Tarriela pointed out, however, that the document was merely a letter from an ambassador at the time and only cited information indicating that Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc lay outside the Philippine territorial line.

He said that even former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio has cited the Treaty of Washington as a basis, emphasizing that Philippine territory is not limited to what is defined within the treaty.

“There’s still the Treaty of Washington that says other territories outside the Treaty of Washington are still part of the Philippine archipelago,” the PCG spokesperson said.

1734 map

Tarriela emphasized that the country possesses historical maps, including the 1734 Murillo-Velarde map and its final version presented to the public in the 1870s by the cartographer.

According to him, these maps served as the Philippines’ strongest evidence of its historical position and claim over Scarborough Shoal.

Last month, the Chinese Embassy denounced Tarriela, with deputy spokesperson Guo Wei stating that China’s position in the South China Sea was “clear and consistent,” while describing Tarriela’s statements on the territorial dispute as “misleading.”

Amid these exchanges, the PCG official underscored during the recent Saturday News Forum in Quezon City that 94 percent of Filipinos expressed support and appreciation for the national government’s efforts in the West Philippine Sea, citing a December 2025 survey.