In a significant move this Friday, Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed two pivotal pieces of legislation: the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act. These laws declare \"Philippine maritime zones\" and designate \"sea lanes\" in archipelagic waters for foreign vessels and aircraft.
President Marcos Jr. emphasized in his keynote speech that these laws are fully aligned with international law, specifically the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, this alignment has sparked a debate among international observers and regional experts.
Critics argue that under the guise of implementing UNCLOS, the Philippine government is masking its territorial claims in the South China Sea as maritime jurisdiction claims. This approach, they contend, undermines the foundational international law principle that \"land dominates the sea\", as maritime rights should stem from established land sovereignty.
Zhang Xuegang, director of the Center for Belt and Road Initiative Studies at the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, stated, \"The Philippine Maritime Zones Act is illegal as it severely violates the UNCLOS principle of the 'land dominates the sea.'\" Additionally, Hu Xin, an assistant research fellow at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, highlighted that the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act infringes upon Article 53 of UNCLOS, which ensures the right of innocent passage for all ships through archipelagic waters.
This development adds another layer to the ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, a region where multiple nations assert overlapping territorial claims. As the Philippines advances its domestic legislation, the international community watches closely to see how these laws will influence regional dynamics and adherence to established maritime laws.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
