China's top legislature condemns Philippines' Maritime Zones Act

The National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on Friday expressed firm opposition to and strong condemnation of the Philippines' introduction of the so-called Maritime Zones Act.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the NPC said in a statement that the act is an attempt by the Philippines to enforce the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea issue in 2016 through its domestic legislation, and a serious infringement upon China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.

The legislation, in disregard of the Chinese side's strong opposition and serious representations, has illegally included China's Huangyan Dao and most of the islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao, and their relevant waters, into the Philippines' maritime zone.

Noting that China has sovereignty over Nansha Qundao and their adjacent waters, as well as Zhongsha Qundao, including Huangyan Dao, and their adjacent waters, and that China has sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters, the NPC statement urged the Philippines to immediately cease their illegal actions that infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

It also called for an immediate halt to any unilateral actions that could escalate the South China Sea disputes and complicate the situation.

"It is imperative for the Philippines to cease their deliberate and wrong actions that undermine the overall interests of the bilateral relationship between the two countries and the peace and stability in the South China Sea," the statement said.

The statement also noted that the 2016 arbitration, unilaterally initiated by the Philippines, had violated international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The then arbitral tribunal had no jurisdiction over the issue, and the award, in breach of relevant law, is illegal and null.

China neither accepts nor recognizes the award, and will never accept any claim or action based on it, the statement said, adding that China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by the award.