China rejects Philippines maritime chart as South China sea dispute deepens
Key Takeaways
- China rejected the Philippines' new maritime chart and defended its claims over the Nansha Islands.
- Beijing accused Manila of undermining China's sovereignty and maritime interests.
- China also criticised Japan over Taiwan as tensions between Beijing and Tokyo continue.
Beijing accused Manila of undermining its sovereignty while also renewing criticism of Japan over Taiwan and its security stance.
China has rejected a new Philippine maritime chart covering disputed territory in the South China Sea, accusing Manila of undermining Beijing's territorial claims.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Tuesday that Beijing considers the Nansha Islands and surrounding waters part of Chinese territory.
"China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their surrounding waters. The islands and reefs of China’s South China Sea islands, including those in the Nansha Islands, are outside the territorial scope of the Philippines," Guo said at a regular briefing.
The chart, released on September 25, identifies Zhongye and Mahuan as Pag-asa and Lawak and places them within the Philippines' Kalayaan Island Group.
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The area is part of the disputed South China Sea, where China, the Philippines and other Southeast Asian governments have overlapping claims.
Guo accused the Philippines of violating international law and said China would continue to defend its territorial and maritime claims.
"They are illegal and invalid. China firmly opposes any actions by the Philippines that undermine China’s sovereignty and rights and interests," he remarked.
Guo also addressed China's tensions with Japan, pointing to Taiwan as a major source of disagreement between Beijing and Tokyo.
"Not only did Japan's current leaders not reflect on the historical crime of aggression, but they claimed that Taiwan's affairs constituted an existential crisis for Japan, openly challenged China's national sovereignty, and turned their backs on the original intention of the normalisation of Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations and Japan's political commitment to China," said Guo.
His comments followed Foreign Minister Wang Yi's meeting in Beijing on Monday with Takeshi Iwaya, president of the Japanese Association for the Promotion of International Trade. During the meeting, Wang criticised Japan's position on Taiwan.
"On today's important historical day, we once again urge the Japanese authorities to reflect on the past and return to the original intention and origin of the four political documents with practical actions," Guo said.
September 29 marks the anniversary of the 1972 China-Japan Joint Communique, which normalised diplomatic relations between the two countries.
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Tensions between Beijing and Tokyo have remained high since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in November 2025 that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan and potentially trigger a military response. The remarks prompted strong protests from Beijing.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
