A group of Chinese academics has claimed that the Philippines' northernmost province of Batanes belongs to China through Taiwan, an assertion rejected by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), while Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. dismissed it as a "joke" and "baseless."
In a statement issued Thursday, SeaLight said the claim was presented during a symposium held on June 30 at Jinan University in Guangzhou. According to a report published on July 2 by NewsGD, scholars from Jinan University, Nanjing University, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and other research institutions argued that Batanes is a "natural geographical extension" of Taiwan and therefore falls under the sovereignty of the People's Republic of China (PRC).
NewsGD is part of a media group owned and controlled by the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
The symposium came shortly after the Japan-Philippines summit, where the two countries reaffirmed closer security and maritime cooperation.
The report said the participating scholars "uniformly determined" that any maritime boundary negotiations between Japan and the Philippines east of Taiwan would be "illegal and invalid," claiming such efforts violate China's sovereignty.
The academics also argued that the Philippines "lacks the historical and legal basis" to administer Batanes because of its geographic proximity to Taiwan.
However, neither the symposium report nor official statements from the Chinese government indicate that Beijing has formally asserted sovereignty over Batanes. To date, no officials from the People's Republic of China have publicly adopted the scholars' conclusions, although the narrative has circulated at the provincial level in China.
Possible 'lawfare' strategy
Maritime transparency initiative SeaLight Executive Director Raymond Powell said the symposium could represent the beginning of a new Chinese "lawfare" campaign aimed at advancing Beijing's strategic interests through legal and academic narratives.
Speaking at the National West Philippine Sea Summit, Powell cited the symposium's conclusion that Batanes is "a natural geographical extension of Taiwan, with sovereignty belonging to China."
According to SeaLight, the absence of an official endorsement from the Chinese government is consistent with China's gray-zone information and narrative operations.
"So far, PRC government officials have not endorsed the symposium's conclusions, but that's not unusual in PRC gray-zone narrative warfare," SeaLight said.
Powell warned that such claims could be used as a "pretext" to justify a greater Chinese presence in areas near Batanes and complicate future territorial and maritime discussions.
DFA rejects 'revisionist claims'
The DFA dismissed the assertions, saying the Philippines will not entertain what it described as "revisionist claims" over its territory.
"The Philippines' sovereignty over Batanes is settled and not up for debate," the DFA said in a statement.
The department also urged the Chinese scholars to "focus their energies on genuine, good-faith studies of the region."
The DFA further noted that China's own diplomatic arrangements recognize Batanes as part of the Philippines.
"The Philippine-approved consular district of the Chinese Consulate General in Laoag includes the Philippine province of Batanes," the department said.
Teodoro calls claim 'nonsense'
Defense Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. dismissed the scholars' assertions, describing them as a "joke" and "baseless."
"Kita mo naman kung ano'ng klaseng pag-iisip ang ginagawa ng isang lipunan na kontrolado ng Communist Party of China," Teodoro told the media..
“What is this for, right? And we know walang basehan ito, kalokohan ito, and it’s ludicrous,” the secretary said.
For his part, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela said the claims made by the Chinese academics must be challenged to prevent the spread of false narratives.
"We should really debunk and counter all these lies. Otherwise, kapag hindi natin pinatulan itong mga kasinungalingang ito, uulit-ulitin lang nila. And they're going to rewrite history once again. Baka hindi natin alam, pati Ilog Pasig, angkinin na rin ng China," Tarriela said.
The Philippine government has consistently maintained that Batanes is an integral part of the country's sovereign territory and that any claims to the contrary are without merit.
