Accept overlapping claims in West Philippine Sea – China

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January 4, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — Despite the 2016 Arbitral Award invalidating China’s vast maritime claims in the South China Sea, the Chinese embassy in Manila again urged the Philippines to accept the supposed reality that Manila and Beijing have overlapping maritime claims and should resolve the issue. 

Reacting to Sen. Francis Pangilinans latest statement demanding that China respect the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Chinese embassy claimed China is not infringing on Philippine territory. 

“To the good Senator Kiko Pangilinan: the Philippines has the right to claim its EEZ based on Luzon, Palawan and Mindoro, etc. China also has the right to claim its EEZ based on Nansha Qundao and Zhongsha Qundao,” the Chinese embassy asserted. 

“Our two countries have overlapping maritime claims in the South China Sea. In the relevant waters, the Philippines is entitled to conduct activities, and so is China. Claims that China has infringed upon the Philippines exclusive economic zone are simply unfounded,” it added. 

The Chinese embassy argued that “under international law, where maritime claims overlap, the parties concerned should delimit their boundaries through means acceptable to both sides. Pending such delimitation, the situation should be properly managed and actions that could complicate or escalate tensions should be avoided.”

“Both sides should acknowledge the reality of overlapping claims, manage differences and work toward a proper resolution of the issue. Rigidly adhering to one’s own position and placing blame on the other side is neither constructive nor helpful in resolving the matter,” the statement read.

Pangilinan, in a Facebook post on Friday, lashed out at China in response to the Chinese embassy’s earlier statement calling on the Philippines to respect the One China Policy in relation to Taiwan.

“To the Chinese embassy in Manila: I have no problem respecting and recognizing the One China Policy. In return, China should respect the Philippines’ 500,000 square kilometers of our EEZ under the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) by abandoning their ridiculous and illegal claim of 90 percent of the West Philippine/South China Sea,” he said. 

“To borrow the American saying, If you can dish it out, you should learn to take it... We respect the Chinese people but we will never bow down to Xi Jinping’s illegal policy claims in the region. Never,” Pangilinan said. — Marc Jayson Cayabyab