Philippines Defence Secretary Rejects Chinese Scholars' Claim on Batanes Islands

Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro dismissed a claim made by Chinese scholars that the country’s northernmost province, Batanes, belongs to China. The scholars, who gathered at a June 30 symposium at Jinan University in Guangzhou, argued that the islands are a “natural geographical extension” of Taiwan and therefore part of Chinese territory. Manila called the assertions “baseless”, “ludicrous” and “a joke”, saying they could signal a broader Chinese strategy to control the Pacific.

The Department of Foreign Affairs reiterated that Philippine sovereignty over Batanes is “settled and not up for debate”, urging the scholars to focus on genuine research. Batanes, home to about 20 000 people, lies in the Luzon Strait, a key passage linking the South China Sea and the Pacific, and has hosted joint Philippine‑U.S. military drills. The claim surfaced weeks after the Philippines and Japan announced formal talks on delimiting their exclusive economic zones, a move China criticised.

Chinese officials did not endorse the scholars’ conclusions, and China’s foreign ministry has repeatedly rejected the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated its expansive South China Sea claims. Philippine officials warned that the narrative could be used to justify “sovereignty” patrols in the area.