New Maritime Laws Frustrate China

By Lexi Dean

The Philippine president signed two laws this past Friday reaffirming the country’s maritime claims and resource extraction rights in the South China Sea. Amidst China’s growing aggression in the regional, especially towards the Philippines this past year, this marks a crucial moment of emphasizing international rules-based order and law. During a nationally televised signing, the president along with top military and national security officials, signed the Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act. These laws protect Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ), enforce jail time and fines for violations of territorial claims, and set designated sea lanes and air routes. The Philippines aim to protect where they have the internationally recognized right to tap into energy resources and designate these lanes and routes that foreign vessels may use under compliance with international law. Philippine officials acknowledge the challenges and reality of implementing these laws, with one even claiming he did not expect a reduction in tensions. However, these officials are hopeful in the international community backing their position, as the United States did on Friday. 

In response to the signing of these two laws, China summoned the ambassador to express its condemnation of the move to disrespect China’s claims in the South China Sea. In 2016 the Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled that China’s claims had no legal basis. China believes that these laws signed on Friday are an attempt to solidify what it sees as an illegal ruling that invalidated their claims. China has constructed artificial islands, like Mischief Reef, with air and land defense systems within their nine-dash line claim, however, some of these fall into the Philippines EEZ. To protect these zones, the Philippines emphasizes with these laws that all artificial islands in their EEZ belong to their government. China maintains its own domestic laws such as one enacted in 2021 that allows it to detain trespassers infringing on their claimed territory in the South China Sea. While there are doubts as to how the two new Philippine laws will address growing escalation with China, they will work to gain international attention to recognize international and legally protected rights in the region.