South China Sea: Philippines’ says China’s maritime proposals go against national interests

The Philippine foreign ministry said on Tuesday it had received several maritime-related proposals from China, but added they could not be considered because they were against the Southeast Asian country’s national interests.

The foreign ministry said among the proposals from China was one where it “insisted on actions that would be deemed as acquiescence or recognition of China’s control and administration over the [Second Thomas Shoal] and that the Philippines could not consider such a proposal “without violating the constitution or international law”.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) was responding to a Manila Times news article quoting an unnamed “ranking Chinese official” as saying that Beijing’s proposals to normalise the situation in disputed areas in the South China Sea were “met with inaction” by the Philippine government.