Justice Carpio Breaks Down China’s 9-Dash Line Myth: Why the West Philippine Sea Isn’t Beijing’s ‘Backyard

In the fight for the Philippines’ maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea, few voices have been as consistent, clear, and strategic as that of Justice Antonio T. Carpio. In his latest interview — now available on YouTube — Carpio dismantles Beijing’s historic-rights claim under the so-called “9-dash line” and explains why the Philippines must hold firm not only for its own sake, but for the global commons.

Key takeaways from Justice Carpio’s interview:

China’s narrative is built on myth. Carpio calls Beijing’s historic-rights claim “fantasy wrapped in diplomatic spin.” He demonstrates how the 9-dash line lacks any basis in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) or recognised international law — making China’s expansive claim untenable. YouTube
History and maps matter. He revisits Spanish-era cartography, treaty documents and the 2016 arbitral award to show that the Philippines’ claim is solid. Carpio says: “We are not chasing islands; we are defending our EEZ that China stole.”
The UN-law route is our strongest weapon. For Carpio, Manila’s victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration is more than symbolic. It provides a legal foundation for diplomacy, enforcement and international pressure — if the Philippines uses it proactively.
Education is defence. He emphasises that defending the West Philippine Sea is not just about patrol boats and bases — it’s about equipping ordinary Filipinos with knowledge: of treaties, of maps, of law. “Unless we know our history, we cannot hold our line,” Carpio warns.

Throughout the video, Carpio frames the Philippines’ position not as weak or reactive — but as strategic, grounded and global in its implications. The bigger picture, he argues, is this: a small country standing up against coercion becomes a guardian of the global order, particularly for smaller states and land-locked nations shut out of the South China Sea by China’s claims. Wikipedia

Justice Carpio’s presentation is therefore not just a lecture — it’s a blueprint. For policymakers, for students, for civic education. For all Filipinos who recognise that sovereignty isn’t simply about land, but about law, rights and presence.

Watch Justice Carpio’s full lecture here: