No legal basis for Philippines' demand

The Philippines argued that Huangyan Island was its "inherent territory" because the island was in its 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

Li Hongyun told the newspaper that, as a basic principle clearly stated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country must have sovereignty over the land before it claims sovereignty over the adjacent sea waters.

The Philippines claimed sovereignty over the waters before making a claim for the land, which was obviously wrong, Li said.

It recently claimed sovereignty over Huangyan Island on the basis of exercising jurisdiction on the island and cited the case of the Island of Palmas, which confirmed the principle that a country could claim sovereignty for its long-term and effective jurisdiction over the land.

"China agrees on the principle and, it is based on the principle that China has sovereignty over Huangyan Island for it has implemented long-term and effective jurisdiction," Li said.

In addition, geographic proximity, which formed part of the Philippines' claim, is no solution to territorial entitlement as international laws and practices have early defined.

Such examples can be found everywhere in the world that a country owns a remote land that is geographically nearer to other nations, the article said.

The principle of geographic proximity would no doubt cause big chaos if it was applied in territorial affairs, the article said.