Global Times Claimed The Philippines “trespassed” into Chinese territorial waters during a resupply mission to Sabina Shoal.
The China Coast Guard on Sunday took restrictive measures against a Philippine ship that illegally entered the waters off China's Xianbinjiao in the South China Sea, and Chinese experts called on the Philippine government to withdraw the ship that ran aground on a Chinese reef. pic.twitter.com/c5DBV8kx0v
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) August 25, 2024
Verdict: Misleading
Sabina Reef lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ). China has a claim to the entire South China Sea, a claim rejected by an international tribunal in 2016.
Fact check:
The Philippines and China have been locked in a months-long standoff over Sabina Reef, also known as Senbin Reef. USNI NewsIt is the flagship of the Philippine Coast Guard. Teresa Magbanua, The ship is currently anchored there, the media reported.
Global Times, a Chinese newspaper controlled by the Chinese Communist Party “Flagship Newspaper, People's Daily” The Philippines claimed that its ships had “illegally intruded” into Chinese territorial waters on August 25.
“The China Coast Guard on Sunday took restrictive measures against a Philippine ship that illegally entered waters off China's Xianbinjiao in the South China Sea. Chinese experts have urged Manila to withdraw the ship which ran aground on the Chinese reef,” the Global Times tweeted.
This claim is misleading: The People's Republic of China (PRC), which controls mainland China, claims approximately 90 percent of the South China Sea (also known as the Nine-Dash Line). U.S.-China Economic and Security CommitteeThe claim was rejected by an international tribunal in 2016 and has not been accepted by Beijing, NPR reported. Reported.
Sabina Reef is within the Philippine EEZ. GuardianThe Philippines claims this would allow it to build in the area, but China has rejected this, the media reported.
Brent Sadler“The idea that China would implement a fishing ban or other restrictive measures of any kind is illegal,” a senior fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation told Check Your Facts.
“Sabina and Second Thomas [Shoal] “These waters are within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone recognized by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which means that either the Philippines or China have rights to the natural resources of the seabed and maritime traffic in this area. So the idea that China would implement a fishing ban or other restrictive measures is unlawful,” Sadler said.
Sadler added, “An international arbitration tribunal in 2016 further stated that China's territorial claims and actions in the South China Sea are unlawful.”
A State Department spokesman told Check Your Fact that Sabina Reef is not within “Chinese territorial waters.” (Related: Beijing claims 'Bolt Typhoon' is US disinformation campaign)
“No, Sabina Reef is not in China's territorial waters. Under international maritime law, Sabina Reef is a 'low-tide elevation' over which no country can claim sovereignty. Sabina Reef and its surrounding waters are within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone,” the spokesman said.
The spokesman added: “China is employing dangerous and escalating tactics to enforce its far-reaching maritime claims in the South China Sea, which the Arbitral Tribunal, established under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, has firmly rejected as having no basis in international law. As provided for in the Convention, the arbitral award will be legally binding on China and the Philippines.”
Check Your Fact contacted the Global Times for comment but did not receive a response. The Philippine Embassy in the United States said a request for comment had been “referred to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS).”
