PCG: Chinese embassy’s 1990 letter ‘not significant’ in Scarborough dispute

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has dismissed the Chinese Embassy’s use of a 1990 letter as lacking significance in the ongoing dispute over Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said the document does not hold weight in determining sovereignty issues.

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

On March 14, the Chinese Embassy released a 1990 letter written by then Philippine Ambassador to Germany Bienvenido A. Tan Jr., which stated that Scarborough Reef, also known as Huangyan Dao, does not fall within Philippine territorial sovereignty based on information from the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA).

Tarriela clarified that the document was merely a correspondence from an ambassador at the time and only cited information suggesting that Bajo de Masinloc lies outside the Philippine territorial line.

He added that former Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio has cited the Treaty of Washington as a basis to argue that Philippine territory is not limited to areas defined within the treaty.

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

The PCG official also emphasized that the country possesses historical maps, including the 1734 Murillo Velarde map and later versions, as key evidence supporting the Philippines’ claim over Scarborough Shoal.

According to Tarriela, these maps serve as strong historical proof of the country’s position in the disputed area.

The Chinese Embassy earlier criticized Tarriela, with Deputy spokesperson Guo Wei describing China’s position in the South China Sea as “clear and consistent” and calling his statements “misleading.”

Amid the exchange, Tarriela said that about 94 percent of Filipinos expressed support for the national government’s efforts in the West Philippine Sea, citing a December 2025 survey.