THE Philippines yesterday asserted its claim to its extended continental shelf in the West Philippine Sea after Vietnam filed its submission to the United Nations.
In its filing dated July 17, Vietnam’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, it is “entitled to a continental shelf extending beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.”
Hanoi also reasserted its sovereignty over the Spratly Islands, which it called as Truong Sa, as well as the Paracel or Hoang Sa.
It cited international law and the rights over its maritime zones in the East Sea established in accordance with UNCLOS in claiming sovereignty over Spratly and Paracels.
In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs affirmed Manila’s claim to its extended continental shelf in the Western Palawan region “consistent with its maritime entitlements under UNCLOS.”
Manila submitted its extended continental shelf claim to the UN last June 15.
“Nevertheless, we acknowledge Vietnam’s rights, as a coastal state like the Philippines, to submit information to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the relevant and lawful baselines from which its territorial sea is measured, as provided for in the UNCLOS,” the DFA said.
It added that Manila is ready to engage with Hanoi on ways forward to help achieve a mutually beneficial solution to South China Sea issues in line with international law.
China, using the so-called nine dash line (later updated to 10-dash line to include Taiwan), claims almost the entire South China Sea, setting it up against the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of Manila and dismissed Beijing’s sweeping claim in the disputed waters, saying that its nine-dash line has no historical or legal basis.
