China on Sunday released the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao, and the China Coast Guard (CCG) has stated to continuously strengthen patrols and law enforcement in the territorial waters of Huangyan Dao and related maritime areas. 

The Chinese government delimited and announced the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao, which is a natural step to lawfully strengthen marine management and is consistent with international law and common practices, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday. 

The spokesperson said that Huangyan Dao has always been China's territory. In accordance with international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, the Chinese government delimited and announced the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao.

The government statement on Sunday said the baselines were announced in accordance with the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone promulgated on February 25, 1992. 

The move comes after the Philippines' introduction of the so-called Philippine Maritime Zones Act and Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act on Friday, for which China has summoned the Philippine Ambassador to China to lodge solemn representations. 

Ding Duo, a deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that China has been steadily conducting work related to baselines of our territorial sea over the years. Yet the timing of the release of the baselines and the CCG statement are countermeasures against the Philippines' provocation through domestic legislation.

The Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the so-called "Philippine Maritime Zones Act" aims to further solidify the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea in the form of domestic legislation and illegally include China's Huangyan Dao and most of the islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao and their relevant waters into the Philippines' maritime zones.

"This move severely violates China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," the spokesperson said, adding that China firmly opposes it and will continue to do everything necessary in accordance with law to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

Ding said releasing baselines demonstrates China's longtime sovereignty over and effective jurisdiction of Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters. Clear baselines can guide the CCG law enforcement operations in the region to be more accurate, targeted and effective. 

Lei Xiaolu, a professor of law with the China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, Wuhan University, told the Global Times that according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states can have a territorial sea width of 12 nautical miles (22.22 km), as well as the exclusive economic zone (200 nautical miles) and continental shelf (up to 350 nautical miles). 

With China's release of the baselines, interests claims in Huangyan Dao and adjacent waters are clear, clarifying rights and obligations in the relevant maritime areas and helping China better exercise its rights in those areas, Lei said.

Philippine coast guard vessels have repeatedly intruded into waters adjacent to Huangyan Dao since the second half of 2023. Lei said that with the baselines, the CCG can clearly identify whether those vessels intruded into China's territorial sea and can conduct law enforcement more accurately. 

Also the CCG will be able to identify whether the waters are China's territorial sea and take measures if they find illegal fishing activities by Philippine fishermen to better conserve fishery resources and protect and preserve the marine environment, Lei noted.

The CCG said on Sunday in a statement that it will continuously strengthen patrols and law enforcement in the territorial waters off China's Huangyan Dao and relevant waters.

Huangyan Dao is inherent territory of China. For a long time, China has continuously, peacefully, and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao. In recent times, the Philippines has frequently dispatched military and law enforcement vessels and aircraft, and public service ships to provoke trouble in the waters and airspace near Huangyan Dao, seriously infringing on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, according to the CCG statement. 

The Philippines has also incited fishing boats to illegally operate in the lagoon of Huangyan Dao. According to the information commanded, some Philippine fishing boats are suspected of engaging in illegal activities such as using poisons for fishing and capturing endangered aquatic wildlife, which harm the fragile ecosystem of the relevant maritime areas.

The CCG will continue to strengthen patrols and law enforcement in the territorial waters of Huangyan Dao and related maritime areas in accordance with China's Coast Guard Law, fisheries law, Marine Environmental Protection Law, and other laws and regulations, as well as in reference to international laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The CCG will firmly maintain good order in the relevant maritime areas, resolutely protect the ecological environment and biological resources of the relevant maritime areas, and firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, read the CCG statement.

The delimitation of related territorial sea baselines takes time and the work started long ago, therefore the release is a response to provocation and is a reiteration of China's stance, not an escalation in China's initiative, Ding stressed.    

Firm resolution 

Ding noted China has a rich toolbox, policy reserves and diverse means to safeguard its territorial sovereignty in the South China Sea.  

Also on Sunday, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Civil Affairs jointly released the standard names of some islands and reefs in the South China Sea. Standard names released this time, 64 in total, include Houteng Xidao, Ren'ai Nanjiao, Ren'ai Beijiao.

Standard names previously released in 1983 and 2020 regarding some islands and reefs in the South China Sea remain valid, as noted in a statement on the Ministry of Natural Resources' official website.

Ding said the release of standard names is a continuation of past publications and indicates China's sovereignty and jurisdiction over the islands and reefs. Along with changes in the natural geographical conditions in the South China Sea, for example, there may be new islands and reefs emerging, China will continue to update the standard name list in line with the changes and the needs to safeguard interests, Ding said.  

China has exercised restraint on the South China Sea issue and has consistently adhered to managing differences and resolving territorial and maritime disputes through negotiation and consultation. However, China will take corresponding measures to safeguard its rights in response to the Philippines' continuous provocations politically, legally and at sea, in neglect of advice, Ding said.

Ding predicted that the Philippines might initiate a smear campaign against China's legitimate actions, and even introduce external forces such as the US to conduct provocative operations at sea, "which will be within China's scope of response." 

China has demonstrated its resolution and capability to defend its sovereign security and development interests in the South China Sea, Ding said. "Our firm resolution will not be shaken by Philippine provocation or its collusion with other countries," he noted. 

The Philippines is advised to carefully consider where the country's long-term interests lie and return to the path of negotiation and communication rather than taking bold, unilateral moves and stir up troubles in the South China Sea, the expert said.