An academic symposium on the sovereignty of the Batan Islands—held against the backdrop of the so-called Japan-Philippines "delimitation talks"—took place on June 30 at Jinan University.
Scholars from Nanjing University, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and other universities and research institutions attended the event.
Participants unanimously concluded that the Batan Islands constitute a natural geographical extension of Taiwan, with sovereignty belonging to China, and that so-called Japan-Philippines maritime delimitation negotiations in the area hold no legal validity.
The symposium was convened in direct response to the joint statement issued at the recent Japan-Philippines summit.
On May 28, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced the launch of negotiations to delimit their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelves in the waters east of Taiwan Island.
Scholars uniformly determined that the move constitutes a grave violation of international law and infringes upon China's legitimate sovereignty in the waters.
Ju Hailong, Dean of the School of International Studies at Jinan University, noted that the Batan Islands were under the jurisdiction of Taiwan Prefecture during the Ming and Qing dynasties, and the northernmost point of the archipelago lies only 99 kilometers from Lanyu (Orchid Island).
"The islands are not merely closer to Taiwan in distance, but constitute a natural geographical extension of Taiwan Island," Ju said.
Wang Yuanyuan, a researcher at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, traced Ming-dynasty navigation records documenting the islands along the Xiamen-Luzon route.
More than 10,000 Ivatan residents on the Batan Islands share linguistic and cultural ties with the Tao people of Lanyu, with their cultural heritage originating from China.
The Treaty of Paris (1898) and the Treaty of Manila (1946), which followed Philippine independence, both set the northern boundary of Philippine territory at 20 degrees north latitude—placing the Batan Islands, which lie north of that line, outside the scope of the territorial cession.
Post-WWII international treaties mandated the return of all territories Japan had seized from China, and the Batan Islands, as appurtenant islands of Taiwan, should have been returned accordingly.
Scholars noted that the Philippines' current de facto control over the islands amounts to a post-war fait accompli exploited amid regional chaos and lacks any legal basis.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), delimitation may only be conducted between states with "opposite or adjacent" coasts.
"Taiwan Island lies between Japan and the Philippines, so the two countries do not meet the geographical preconditions for launching bilateral delimitation negotiations," said Yu Minna, an associate professor at the Law School of Ocean University of China.
Wang Kan, a professor at Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, stated: "The so-called Japan-Philippines delimitation negotiations were invalid from the moment they were launched."
The symposium called on the international community to recognize China's historical and legal basis for sovereignty over the Batan Islands and to remain vigilant against the dangerous trend that Japan and the Philippines take "delimitation" as a pretext for geopolitical maneuvering.
Reporter: Xie Hongzhou
Author: Xie Hongzhou, Fu Rong (intern)
Photo: Provided by Jinan University
