The Philippines asserted its exclusive rights to South China Sea resources off its western coast with an official filing before a United Nations (UN) commission.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said the country submitted information to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, registering entitlement to an extended continental shelf in the Western Palawan region in the disputed sea.

“Today, we secure our future by making a manifestation of our exclusive right to explore and exploit natural resources,” Assistant Secretary for Maritime and Ocean Affairs Marshall Louis Alferez said in a statement Saturday.

The Philippines under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has pushed back against China’s claims to the resource-rich sea while bolstering US defence ties. His government has signalled its determination to explore the waters for energy resources, emboldened by a 2016 legal victory rejecting Beijing’s claims.

China has however maintained its presence in the key waterway, leading to tense clashes with Philippine vessels.

  - Bloomberg