This opinion piece by Justice Antonio T. Carpio, published on Rappler, discusses legal and diplomatic approaches to counter China’s actions in the West Philippine Sea, focusing on the Philippines’ reliance on international law and collective action.
China’s claim over the South China Sea, represented by its nine-dash line, is rooted in a narrative of historical ownership. However, this was debunked by the July 12, 2016 arbitral award, which dismissed the claim as baseless. China’s justification ignores modern understandings of maritime resources and international law, instead attempting to assert control over the island territories and maritime zones of ASEAN coastal states.
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