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[WORLD EXCLUSIVE] Bajo De Masinloc in the midst of the Philippine-China Territorial Dispute By Mc Joren R. Banzon According to a study done by Lowell (2013) Bajo De Masinloc or Panatag Shoal (Filipino term);Scarbourough Shoal (English term); Huangyan Dao (Chinese term) is a territory located at 124 nautical miles from the nearest cost of the Philippines and 465 nautical miles from the nearest coast of China. It is approximately situated at the latitude 15°08’N and longitude 117°45’E. The territory has a geographical picturesque whichinvolves an atoll of reef and rocks. In China, having a coral reef formation including a lagoon encircled by rocks, Bajo De Masinloc is considered as the largest atoll in the South China Sea. Particularly, the rocks are about 3 meters high above water wherein five of which are visible when high tide happens while others are submerged. Accordingly, Lowell states that this territory provides livelihood to the Filipinos, particularly the fishermen residing at the west of Zambales which is 124 nautical miles from the shoal itself. Ergo, these fishermen consider Bajo de Masinloc as a vital part of their lives. Considering the fact that it is home to breeding and feeding of various oceanic creatures, theannual potential yield of 5,021 metric tons of resources from the shoal alone supports this very fact. On the other hand, China perceives Bajo de Masinloc as an integral part of an area the country named as Zhongsha Qundao. The mentioned area is considered as an archipelago located at the northern part of the South China Sea. It is basically comprised of a number of different territories including most part of Bajo de Masinloc. However, excluding the five rocks which are not submerged during high tides. For China, the ownership of this particular territory is fatal due to the fact that it plays a vital role in the general ownership of China with respect to the South China Sea. Losing sovereignty over the said territory limit chinese operations in terms of fisheries and maritime activities. 4 <strong>INFORM</strong> August—September 2014
With the colliding application of sovereignty from both countries, the dispute on Bajo de Masinloc undoubtedly deteriorates. Evidently, there are lingering interests in gaining the mentioned archipelago coming from both parties. The scarcity of resources comes in to the picture for the issue involves land and seas territories. In line with this, the government of each nation are forced to create necessary actions, procedures and behaviors so as to fulfill their interests with respect to the claim of the shoal. Hence, with the prevailing dispute in the aforementioned territory, the scarcity of resource involved in it and the inquiry of ownership leads for geopolitics to happen which then further supports the presence of an intense competition between the two countries. Indeed, the choices and decisions will be made by the two countries directed to the existing issue. This then will be binding to different individual or even to groups with varying degrees of impact. With these events on hand, the territorial dispute on Bajo de Masinloc is undoubtedly political in nature. 5 <strong>INFORM</strong> August—September 2014
Page 1 and 2: INFORM AUGUST—SEPTEMBER 2014 AUGU
Page 3: [Say What?] LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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Page 9 and 10: The Philippines and China is curren

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