The National Security Council (NSC) of the Philippines on Sunday criticized recent statements from the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Embassy in Manila, calling them “undiplomatic and uncalled for.”
“The Philippines is a democracy governed by the rule of law. Public officials, spokespersons, and institutions are mandated to inform the Filipino people of developments affecting national security, including activities in the West Philippine Sea. This responsibility does not require approval from any foreign government,” the NSC said in a statement.
The council stressed that disagreements between Manila and Beijing should be resolved through diplomatic channels such as the Bilateral Consultation Mechanism.
It warned that “public messaging that intimidates, threatens, or seeks to silence Philippine officials performing their lawful duties is inconsistent with the spirit and obligations of diplomatic engagement and clearly violates the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.”
Reaffirming the country’s rights, the NSC cited the 2016 arbitral ruling under UNCLOS that invalidated China’s “nine-dash line” and upheld the Philippines’ maritime entitlements.
“We wish to respectfully remind China that an independent tribunal constituted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) issued an arbitral award in favor of the Philippines, which invalidated China’s so-called ‘nine-dash line’ as having no legal basis and affirmed the Philippines’ maritime rights in its exclusive economic zone,” the council said.
“This ruling, supported by many nations, remains a cornerstone of international law and stability,” it added.
The Philippines refers to parts of its exclusive economic zone as the West Philippine Sea, covering the Luzon Sea and waters around the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.