Philippine president angers China with new laws to demarcate South China Sea territories

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed two laws on Friday reaffirming the extent of his country’s maritime territories and right to resources, including in the South China Sea, angering China, which claims the hotly disputed waterway almost in its entirety.

China’s foreign ministry said it summoned the Philippines ambassador to China to lodge a “stern protest.” The ministry condemned the move as an attempt to “solidify the illegal ruling of the South China Sea arbitration case through domestic legislation.”

Confrontations between Chinese and Philippine coast guard and naval forces in the disputed sea passage have spiked alarmingly since last year. That has sparked fears that the United States — Manila’s longtime treaty ally — may get drawn in a major conflict.

The laws, called the Philippine Maritime Zones act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes act, were signed by Marcos in a nationally televised ceremony attended by top military and national security officials. They further cement Manila’s rejection of China’s claims to virtually the entire sea passage, and stipulate jail terms and stiff fines for violators.

https://apnews.com/article/philippine-maritime-zones-act-archipelagic-sea-lanes-act-south-china-sea-4ecec3f00ab9367d948e5af3959aea21