MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government has rejected claims by Chinese scholars that the northern province of Batanes belongs to China, with top officials declaring that Philippine sovereignty over the island province has been "settled and not up for debate."
In a statement, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año Oban Jr. expressed concern over reports that scholars from Chinese institutions, including Nanjing University, argued during a recent symposium that Batanes was a natural extension of Taiwan and therefore would fall under Chinese sovereignty.
"There is no ambiguity on this matter: Batanes is an integral and indivisible part of the Republic of the Philippines," Oban said, dismissing the claim as having "no merit."
He warned, however, that such assertions could be part of an effort to "manufacture ambiguity where none exists."
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. likewise rejected the claims, describing them as "baseless," "nonsense," and "ludicrous."
"I view this, once again, as probably a signal of a preconceived intention," Teodoro told reporters. "It is not far-fetched to think that this is already part of their plan."
The controversy comes as the Philippines marks the 10th anniversary of the landmark 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, which invalidated China's expansive maritime claims in the disputed waters.
Oban said the latest assertions reflected a broader effort to create false narratives that could later be used to justify territorial claims.
"We will not allow manufactured history to become manufactured rights, nor a fabricated dispute to take root over what is unquestionably ours," he said.
Batanes, the Philippines' northernmost province with a population of about 20,000, lies roughly 160 kilometers south of Taiwan across the strategically important Luzon Strait, a vital waterway linking the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. The province has gained increasing strategic importance in recent years and has hosted joint military exercises involving Philippine and United States forces.
Chinese state media reported on the June 30 symposium in Guangzhou where the scholars presented their arguments, but the Chinese government has not officially adopted or endorsed the position.
In a separate statement, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) condemned and refuted the claims, comparing them to a similar misinformation campaign that circulated on social media in 2025 regarding Palawan.
"These 'claims' have no rational basis in substantive research and operate from evident bad faith," said NHCP. WITH A REPORT FROM ALLEN LIMOS
