Joint maritime activities like the MCA are always welcome. This shows that the Philippines is not alone in ensuring that the Indo-Pacific remains free, open, and secure.

This demonstration of solidarity strengthens the international consensus that the Chinese government’s territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea are baseless and in direct violation of the UNCLOS.

The exercise also does reinforce legislation like the Philippine Maritime Zones Act as this measure was crafted in alignment with international law, particularly UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Ruling.

The Maritime Zones Act also clearly established that the maritime features and territories that we claim on the western side of our archipelago are collectively known as the West Philippine Sea, which the Philippine government has jurisdiction over, not Beijing or any other regional power.