The Philippines is prepared to engage in discussions with Vietnam regarding the overlapping claims for an extended continental seabed in the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced on Thursday.
The DFA affirmed the Philippines' claim to its extended continental shelf in the Western Palawan region and expressed readiness to work with Vietnam to find a mutually beneficial solution in line with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
"We acknowledge Vietnam's right, as a coastal State like the Philippines, to submit information to establish the outer limits of their continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the relevant and lawful baselines from which its territorial sea is measured, as provided for under UNCLOS," the DFA stated.
This announcement follows Vietnam's submission, which came shortly after the Philippine government requested the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf to recognize its extended undersea shelf in the South China Sea, off western Palawan province. This area would grant the Philippines exclusive rights to manage, explore, and exploit resources.
Manila's move, rejecting China's extensive claims over the contested waters, aligns with its maritime entitlements under UNCLOS, as demonstrated by its Extended Continental Shelf submission on June 15.
China maintains an "indisputable" historical claim over nearly the entire South China Sea, leading to conflicts among the claimants. In 2016, a Netherlands arbitral tribunal invalidated Beijing's claim, but China refused to recognize the ruling.
The Philippines emphasized that its submission does not affect discussions with other coastal states that may have legitimate extended continental shelf claims, keeping the door open for negotiations where claims overlap.
UNCLOS allows coastal states to claim an "Extended Continental Shelf" beyond the 200-nautical mile outer limit of their exclusive economic zone, extending up to 350 nautical miles (648 kilometers).
Following Manila's submission, Vietnam indicated its willingness to discuss the matter, acknowledging Manila's right to file a claim under international law. In April 2009, the Philippines made a partial submission on the Philippine Rise, validated by the CLCS in 2012, which added 135,506 square kilometers of seabed area for the country.
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