Philippines rejects Chinese scholars' claim over island province

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has previously criticized the Philippines' claims in the South China Sea, a statement made ahead of the anniversary of the 2016 arbitral ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China's expansive claims in the disputed waters.

In a new development, Chinese scholars from institutions including Nanjing University have asserted that the Philippines' northernmost island-chain province, Batanes, is a natural extension of Taiwan and therefore belongs to China. Philippines Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro dismissed these assertions as 'baseless,' 'nonsense,' and 'ludicrous,' suggesting they are a signal of a preconceived intention and part of a plan to control the entire Pacific Ocean.

Batanes, home to about 20,000 people, is strategically located approximately 160 km south of Taiwan along the 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 with U.S. forces. Beijing has not formally endorsed the scholars' position, but the assertions add a new dimension to existing disputes between Manila and Beijing in the South China Sea.