China threatens ‘measures’ vs. PH renaming Kalayaan features in West PH Sea

BEIJING — China accused the Philippines of breaking international law and threatened "measures" to protect its sovereignty on Wednesday, after Manila said it would rename island features that are part of the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing claims the South China Sea in nearly its entirety, despite an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

Under an executive order by President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, the Philippines will rename more than 100 reefs, islands, atolls and other features in the Spratly archipelago, the site of repeated confrontations between Philippine and Chinese vessels.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said the move "infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty and violates the UN charter and relevant international laws."

"China firmly opposes the Philippines undermining China's sovereignty and rights and interests, and will take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea," she said.

Under EO No. 57, the National Maritime Council (NMC) recommended the adoption of a standard set of Philippine names for 131 features of the Kalayaan Island Group in Kalayaan, Palawan, and the West Philippine Sea.

The NMC said it is important to adopt a standard set of Philippine names for these features to ensure efficient administration and governance of the area and to exercise the country’s sovereignty in the WPS.

The Philippines and China, along with Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, have competing claims to areas of the South China Sea, most importantly the Spratlys, which are believed to sit on vast oil and gas resources. — Agence France-Presse