The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday rejected recent statements of the Chinese Embassy in Manila claiming Chinese ownership over Pag-asa Island and its cays and calling Philippine activities there “illegal.”
In a statement, the DFA emphasized that Pag-asa Island and its cays were part of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), where the Philippines has longstanding sovereignty and jurisdiction.
“The Philippines is clearly within its rights to conduct routine maritime operations and scientific research in and around these features, and will continue to do so,” the statement read.
The DFA maintained that the country was following international law, specifically the 1982…