China Warns Philippines Over New Maritime Laws, 'Unilateral Actions' BEIJING (Reuters) - China's embassy warned the Philippines to cease any "unilateral actions" after Manila brought in two new maritime laws meant to define territory, sea lanes and air routes.

Philippine President Marcos passed two maritime laws last week in a move that Manila says will strengthen its sovereignty over waters within the country’s archipelago and the South China Sea. Using standards set forth by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),

The United States has lauded the Philippines’ enactment of the Maritime Zones Act that seeks to further buttress the country’s sovereign rights over its waters, particularly the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with international law.

China rejected Philippine maritime claims on Sunday, saying new legislation "severely infringes on" Beijing's territorial sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea, and vowing to protect its own interests.

China made "solemn representations" to the ambassador shortly after Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act into law to strengthen his country's maritime claims and bolster its territorial integrity.

On Friday, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law two pieces of legislation asserting the country’s maritime rights over disputed areas of the South China Sea, prompting an angry response from the Chinese government.

China is stepping up pressure on the Philippines to concede its sovereign rights in the South China Sea, Manila's Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro said on Tuesday after meeting his Australian counterpart in Canberra.

China is putting ever-greater pressure on the Philippines to cede its sovereign rights in the South China Sea, Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro said on Tuesday after a meeting with his Australian counterpart in Canberra.