China releases baselines of territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao; CCG vows to strengthen patrols, law enforcement

China on Sunday released baselines of territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao, according to Xinhua News Agency. 

The Chinese government delimited and announced the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao, which is a natural step to lawfully strengthen marine management and is consistent with international law and common practices, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Sunday. 

The spokesperson said that Huangyan Dao has always been China's territory. In accordance with international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Territorial Sea and the Contiguous Zone, the Chinese government delimited and announced the baselines of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao.

The so-called "Philippine Maritime Zones Act" aims to further solidify the illegal arbitral award on the South China Sea in the form of domestic legislation and illegally include China's Huangyan Dao and most of the islands and reefs of China's Nansha Qundao, and their relevant waters into the Philippines' maritime zones, the spokesperson added.

"This move severely violates China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," the spokesperson said, adding that China firmly opposes it and will continue to do everything necessary in accordance with law to firmly defend its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.

The China Coast Guard (CCG) said on Sunday in a statement that it will continuously strengthen patrols and law enforcement in territorial waters off China's Huangyan Dao and relevant waters.

Huangyan Dao is inherent territory of China. For a long time, China has continuously, peacefully, and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao. In recent time, the Philippines has frequently dispatched military and law enforcement vessels and aircraft, and public service ships to provoke trouble in the waters and airspace near Huangyan Dao, seriously infringing on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, according to the CCG statement. 

The Philippines has also incited fishing boats to illegally operate in the lagoon of Huangyan Dao. According to the information commanded, some Philippine fishing boats are suspected of engaging in illegal activities such as using poisons for fishing and capturing endangered aquatic wildlife, which harm the fragile ecosystem of the relevant maritime areas.

The CCG will continue to strengthen patrols and law enforcement in the territorial waters of Huangyan Dao and related maritime areas in accordance with the China's Coast Guard Law, fisheries law, Marine Environmental Protection Law, and other laws and regulations, as well as in reference to international laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

The CCG will firmly maintain good order in the relevant maritime areas, resolutely protect the ecological environment and biological resources of the relevant maritime areas, and firmly safeguard national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, read the CCG statement.