[INTRO]In recent events, even before the COVID pandemic began, tension about the ownership

of the South China Sea has begun.

We have seen China assert its dominance to this area by doing whatever it pleases.
But before this, why is it exactly that it is within China’s economic interest to pursue this? Based
on [reference here], not only trillions of dollars pass through the South China Sea each year,
but the amount of exploitable natural resources is a lot as well.
This paper will discuss as to why the Philippines has historical, legal, and practical claims over
the South China Sea.

[2.1.1 China’s “Historical” Claim] One of the most infamous remarks of China is its “historical
claim” or the 9-Dash Line rule. Here, they argue that according to their “archives,” the islands
(and in-turn the South China Sea) within the 9-Dash Line that they present rightfully belongs to
China. [Reference: Zheng He, Position paper].
They are saying that the many explorers of China, most notably Admiral Zheng He, have
conquered parts of the Philippine islands, including but not limited to Spratlys and Scarborough
Shoal.

Given these, they claim that the islands and the waters are rightfully theirs. This explanation
was primarily brought into the Philippines by China’s Ambassador, Zhao Jinhua [Reference
article here]. Alarmingly, the President of the Philippines reacted passively to this.

[2.1.2 Factual History] Such claims by China have not only been refuted by many scholars and
academic community in the world, but even their own publication.
The Zheng He society in Singapore claims that Zheng He did not even step into the Philippines,
and saying that he conquered it is a far-stretch.
In the 90s, a CCP State book entitled “Compilation of References on the Names of All Our
Islands of Nan Hai” was published. It details all the listed conquered islands of China since the
Warring States period. The farthest that China went was a few kilometers off the shores of the
mainland – which is hundreds and hundreds of kilomters away from the South China Sea
islands.
Clearly, the 9-Dash Line rule was fallaciously created to serve an economic interest of the CCP.

[2.2 Legal] As established, China has a reason why it made such fabrications. One of the most
evident is to use it as evidence in The Hague ruling. China presented the 9-Dash Line rule to
persuade the international committee to support its cause.
Fortunately, the Philippines not only has brilliant lawyers to defend itself, but is backed by the
majority of the international community. It was in this ruling where the 9-Dash Line was proven
to be a fake in the international audience.
Hague ruled that the jurisdiction over the South China Sea is with the Philippines and not with
China. [reference: Hague Ruling]

[2.3 Practical] We need not to go further than plain commonsense to see that China’s claim is
preposterous. Philippines to the South China Sea islands is less than 100km, whereas China to
the South China Sea islands is over 3000km! [Carpio lecture reference here? + geographic
reference]

In summary, it is the Philippines, and not China, that has historical, legal, and practical claims
over the South China Sea.
As evidenced by China’s bully-like behavior and our government’s passivity towards it, we as
Filipino citizens are called to defend our country’s honor and what is rightfully ours.
OUTLINE
1. INTRODUCTION - Current Situation: South China Sea Dispute
1. Background 
2. Thesis Statement: Philippines has historical, legal, and practical claim over the
South China Sea
2. BODY - PH’s Claim
1. Historical
1. China’s Claim/9-Dash Line
2. Factual History
1. Legal
.
2. Practical
1. Physical Distance
b. CONCLUSION
1. Recap
2. Further recommendations