INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy on Tuesday known as “baseless” and “completely absurd” false claims on Chinese language social media that the island of Palawan used to belong to China.
Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Navy ‘s spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea, made the response after the Nationwide Historic Fee of the Philippines (NHCP) revealed {that a} submit in Chinese language social media platform Rednote falsely claimed that Palawan was as soon as Chinese language territory.
The submit even said that the Philippines ought to return Palawan to China, claiming that its authentic title was “Zheng He Island,” after the well-known 14th century Chinese language explorer.
READ: Gov’t urged to extend patrols in WPS after China’s declare on Palawan
Article continues after this commercial
Article continues after this commercial
“Such statements about Palawan are baseless,” Trinidad mentioned in an everyday Armed Forces of the Philippines press briefing. “They’re bereft of authorized references. In brief, completely absurd.”
Trinidad famous that such false claims are a part of the “assaults within the info area.”
“In an authoritarian state the place social media and freedom of expression is regulated by the federal government, the whole lot is feasible.
On Friday, the NCHP mentioned “historic reality clearly and convincingly reveals that the Philippines and its predecessor state actors have at all times exercised sovereignty over our archipelago and over Palawan specifically.”
“No different state contests this reality,” the fee mentioned in a press release. “Not one.”
“Palawan is and can at all times be Filipino,” the NHCP mentioned.
READ: Palawan was by no means a part of China – NHCP
Such claims within the Chinese language social media had been made amid the continual tensions between Manila and Beijing within the West Philippine Sea, the physique of water within the nation’s unique financial zone west of Palawan.
Beijing asserts sovereignty in nearly your complete South China Sea, together with many of the West Philippine Sea.
In 2012, Manila and Beijing had a tense standoff over Panatag Shoal, with the previous withdrawing its ships from the shoal that led to the latter having an efficient management of its lagoon to this point.
A yr later, Manila lodged an arbitration case in opposition to Beijing after this standoff which led to a historic 2016 arbitral award that successfully rejected the latter’s sweeping claims within the West Philippine Sea by means of its nine-dash line, now ten-dash-line after the inclusion of one other line within the japanese part of Taiwan in 2023.
Your subscription couldn’t be saved. Please strive once more.
Your subscription has been profitable.
It included in its baseless ten-dash-line the areas of Kalayaan Island Group, the place the Kalayaan municipality of Palawan is situated.
For complete protection, in-depth evaluation, go to our particular web page for West Philippine Sea updates. Keep knowledgeable with articles, movies, and knowledgeable opinions.
