The Philippines rejected Chinese claims over Batanes as baseless and ludicrous
Manila reaffirmed support for the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling
Batanes remains strategically important near Taiwan and the Luzon Strait
The dispute adds to growing regional tensions over China's military activities
The Philippines rejected as "baseless," "nonsense" and "ludicrous" assertions by Chinese scholars that its northernmost island province belongs to Beijing on Thursday, with Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro describing the claim as part of a preconceived plan to control the entire Pacific Ocean.
Chinese state-run news site GDToday reported on July 2 that scholars from institutions including Nanjing University argued at a June 30 symposium that Batanes was a natural extension of Taiwan and therefore belonged to China. Beijing has not formally endorsed the position, but Teodoro said the claim could signal a broader intention.
"I view this, once again, as probably a signal of a preconceived intention," Teodoro told reporters, according to Reuters. "It is not far-fetched to think that this is already part of their plan. And it also validates what we have been saying that they have a plan to control the entire Pacific Ocean."
"What is this for, right? And we know this is baseless. This is nonsense. It is ludicrous," he said. "So this is concerning, and it is something that must be challenged."
Strategic Importance of Batanes
Batanes, home to about 20,000 people, is located approximately 160 km (100 miles) south of Taiwan along the strategically vital Luzon Strait, a key passage linking the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The province has become increasingly important in security planning and has hosted joint military exercises involving Philippine and allied US forces.
Beijing previously sanctioned Teodoro and his close relatives over what it said were "erroneous remarks" made about China.
The scholars' comments came weeks after the Philippines and Japan announced in May they would begin formal talks on delimiting the maritime boundary of their exclusive economic zones and continental shelves in accordance with international law, a move China criticised.
South China Sea Tensions
The Philippines has long relied on the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims over the South China Sea, a strategic waterway through which more than $3 trillion in trade passes annually. Beijing has rejected the ruling and continues to assert its claims over almost the entire sea.
Teodoro's comments also come amid heightened regional tensions over China's expanding military posture. On Monday, China's navy test-launched a long-range ballistic missile from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean, drawing protests from the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand and other countries in the region over the lack of advance notice and concerns about Beijing's expanding nuclear and military capabilities.
The Philippine Department of National Defense said on July 6 that it shared "the concern about China's recent ballistic missile test in the South Pacific, a reckless display of military power that shows little regard for smaller countries and the fragile ecological systems that sustain their people."
China has urged countries to "avoid overinterpretation" of the test, saying the launch was a routine military exercise and complied with international practice.
