The United States supports the Philippines’ enactment of the Maritime Zones Act, signed into law by President Marcos on November 8, 2024. The Maritime Zones Act aligns Philippine domestic laws with the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention and the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling. This law defines the Philippines internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf in line with the Convention.
Many other nations, including fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have enacted similar legislation over the years. The passage of the Maritime Zones Act by the Philippines is a routine matter and further clarifies Philippine maritime law.
The United States values Philippine leadership in upholding international law, particularly in the South China Sea, and calls on all states to comport their maritime claims to the international law of the sea as reflected in the Convention.
