MANILA: The State Department on Saturday conveyed its support to the country’s newly enacted Maritime Zones Act, joining Australia in congratulating the Philippines on the law’s passage. The statement was issued as China protested the law and promised to take ‘all measures necessary’ to continue protecting its claims in the South China Sea.

According to Philippines News Agency, the United States supports the Philippines’ enactment of the Maritime Zones Act, signed into law by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on November 8, 2024. The Maritime Zones Act aligns Philippine domestic laws with the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention and the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, as stated by State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller. The law defines the Philippines’ internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf in line with the Convention. Miller noted that other nations, including members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have enacted si
milar legislation over the years, emphasizing that the passage of the Maritime Zones Act by the Philippines is a routine matter that further clarifies Philippine maritime law.

The United States values Philippine leadership in upholding international law, particularly in the South China Sea, and calls on all states to align their maritime claims with international law of the sea as reflected in the Convention, Miller added.

In an interview, Jay Batongbacal, executive director of the University of the Philippines Institute of Maritime Affairs and Law of Sea, indicated that the Maritime Zones Act merely clarifies the exact metes and bounds of the country’s jurisdiction in the South China Sea, fully aligned with international law. He expressed hope that Beijing would recognize this as a proof of the Philippines’ claims, which have always been in accordance with the law, contrasting with China’s vague claims extending to areas like Pangasinan.

During the Pacific Forum-organized Manila Dialogue on Friday, US Amb
assador MaryKay Carlson affirmed Washington, DC’s commitment to supporting Manila in upholding a rules-based order in the South China Sea. She reiterated the US’s unequivocal backing of the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling that invalidates Beijing’s so-called historic rights over the vital sea lane. Carlson highlighted the growing international support for the Philippines and the upholding of international law, urging the PRC to cease actions that impede freedom of navigation and overflight.