Beijing rejects Manila's unlawful maritime claims

China on Tuesday rejected the Philippines' claim to maritime jurisdiction over Chinese territory as illegal, saying Beijing's construction and other activities on its own territory are justified and lawful, and vowing to take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun made the remarks at a news conference after the Philippines made "illegal" claims over Meiji Reef, Zhubi Reef and Zhongye Island.

On Friday, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs claimed that Meiji Reef and Zhubi Reef are low-tide elevations within its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, and that it holds sovereign rights and jurisdiction over them.

It later called Zhubi Reef a low-tide elevation within the territorial sea of Zhongye Island and also claimed sovereignty over the feature.

The Philippines also alleged that China's construction on the features violates the "Philippine maritime zones act", the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the so-called 2016 South China Sea arbitral award.

Guo said the Nansha Islands, including the three features, are China's inherent territory. China's construction and other activities on its own territory fall within its sovereignty and are entirely justified, he said.

The Philippines' territorial scope is defined by a series of international treaties, and the Nansha Islands have never been part of Philippine territory, Guo said.

Under the principle of international law that land sovereignty determines maritime rights, the Philippines' claim to so-called maritime jurisdiction over Chinese territory is illegal, he said.

Citing Manila's shift in wording, Guo said the inconsistency only exposes the absurdity and arbitrariness of its claims, which do not stand up to scrutiny.

The "South China Sea arbitration" was unilaterally initiated by the Philippines as a political maneuver to secure unlawful interests, Guo said, adding that the "award" is illegal, null and void and has no binding force.

"China does not accept or recognize it and opposes any claim or action based on it," he said.

Regarding the Philippines' so-called maritime zones act, Guo said it illegally incorporates China's Huangyan Island and most of the islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands, as well as relevant maritime areas, into Philippine maritime zones, seriously infringing on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea.

The act is illegal and invalid, and "China firmly opposes it and will never accept it", Guo said.

China will continue to take resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests and firmly oppose all acts of infringement, he said.

He urged the Philippines to immediately stop infringing upon China's rights and stop the provocations and publicity stunts.