MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is unsurprised with China’s opposition to the recent signing of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.
“That’s not unexpected,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of Seatrade Cruise Asia 2024 on Monday evening.
READ: Marcos signs laws charting PH maritime zones, sea lanes
“We have to define it closely. We say a lot that we have to protect our sovereignty, our sovereign rights, and our sovereignty, so it serves the purpose that we define closely what those boundaries are,” he continued.
Marcos, last Friday, signed Republic Act (RA) No. 12064, or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, which aims to declare the country’s maritime zones in accordance with the standards set by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
READ: China declares baselines, reaffirms opposition to PH’s new maritime law
It will also clarify the geographical extent of the Philippine maritime domain and specify the legal powers that the Philippines may exercise over these areas.
He also inked RA 12065, or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act, that ensured protected the country’s sovereignty and maritime domain.
But in a press conference held the same day, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning strongly condemned the signing of the laws.
The Philippine Ambassador to China was even summoned to “make serious protests” against the move.