PH rejects Chinese claims over Batanes territory
Several Chinese academics claimed that the province of Batanes belongs to China through Taiwan.
During a June 30th symposium hosted by Jinan University, a dozen Chinese researchers asserted that the Philippines' control over Batanes lacks any historical and legal basis. Their report—published by the Guangdong-based outlet Newsgd—claimed the islands are a “natural geographical extension” of Taiwan belonging to China, and argued that ongoing Japan-Philippines maritime boundary talks in the area are legally invalid.
The claims have since been met with firm responses from Philippine officials affirming the country's sovereignty. Department of National Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro was quick to shun the claim, calling it "disinformation."
"Today, significantly, we see the disinformation in the guise of historical scholarship in a closed society, namely China, once again spewing out false narratives in our northern area," he said in a speech during the National West Philippine Sea Summit in Pasay City, held on the same day.
Teodoro added that the move is China's way of "signaling a preconceived intention" and reaffirmed his commitment to defend the country’s maritime rights.
Meanwhile, Batanes Lone District Rep. Ciriaco Gato Jr. made a statement reaffirming his province's identity, "We have always known who we are. Our allegiance is to the Republic of the Philippines—now and always."
Labor Chief Francis Tolentino also characterized the claims as instances of historical revisionism and "lawfare."
“Batanes is part of the Philippines and will always be,” Tolentino said in his statement on Friday. “Sovereignty is proven by effectivités—the continuous, peaceful, effective exercise of state authority. The Philippines has shown this for generations: governance, public services, courts, elections, and investment in the Ivatan people.”
Tolentino argued that history and law back up these claims. He noted that the 1935 Constitution used historic treaties—like the 1898 Treaty of Paris—to set Batanes’ northern boundary. He also emphasized that the local Ivatan people have lived there for centuries, and Spain officially made the islands part of the Philippines in 1783.
“These are not theories. They are facts of governance,” he said.
Maritime monitor SearchLight on Thursday said the symposium was not endorsed by the People's Republic of China, calling it a clear “lawfare” tactic to establish a new legal claim over the strategically vital province.
