Philippines rejects Chinese scholars’ claim over its island province near Taiwan
Philippine officials called the claim baseless and concerning as Batanes, home to about 20,000 people, sits 160 km south of Taiwan.
- On Thursday, Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro rejected assertions by Chinese scholars that Batanes belongs to Beijing, calling the claims "baseless" and "ludicrous."
- The claims emerged from a June 30 symposium at Jinan University in Guangzhou, where scholars argued Batanes constitutes a "natural geographical extension of Taiwan."
- Batanes, home to about 20,000 people, lies 100 miles south of Taiwan along the strategic Luzon Strait. SeaLight Executive Director Raymond Powell identified the move as a "template" for future Chinese actions.
- The Department of Foreign Affairs dismissed the assertions as "flights of fancy," reaffirming Philippine sovereignty over Batanes and citing the 2016 Arbitral Award invalidating China's territorial claims.
- Teodoro warned the claim signals a "preconceived intention" to control the Pacific Ocean, adding to regional tensions amid recent missile tests and Japan-Philippines maritime negotiations.
11 Articles
11 Articles
'Not up for debate': Philippines dismisses China scholars’ 'claim' over Batanes
MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday evening, July 9, dismissed as “flights of fancy” an apparent claim by supposed Chinese scholars who claimed that “Batan Islands” were part of Taiwan, which China, in turn, claims as part of its territory. “Flights of fancy should not be dignified with a response. Nevertheless, the Philippines’ sovereignty over Batanes is settled and not up for debate,” the DFA…
Philippines rejects Chinese scholars’ claim over its island province near Taiwan
MANILA, July 9 (Reuters) - The defence minister of the Philippines on Thursday rejected as "baseless" and "ludicrous" assertions by Chinese scholars that its northernmost island-chain province belongs to Beijing, calling the claim concerning and worth...
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