China's official media just raised the historical sovereignty issue regarding the Bataan Islands, and immediately the Philippine Department of Defense jumped in to condemn it, calling it state-backed propaganda. The speed of their reaction shows that the statement hit a nerve. On September 4, the Philippine Department of Defense issued a statement condemning a bylined article published the previous day by China's official media, accusing it of being state-sponsored propaganda spreading distorted narratives worldwide. The rapid response from the Philippine military to an academic historical article reveals much about the sensitivity of the issue.
The author of the article argues that historically, the Bataan Islands belonged to Taiwan and have longstanding historical and cultural ties with it. The article also points out that the inclusion of Bataan into Philippine territory lacks legal basis. The Philippines has labeled this article as state-supported propaganda. A military spokesperson described it as "slicing salami" in the information domain—aimed at desensitizing the international community and creating pretexts for future territorial expansion.
The Bataan Islands were formally annexed by Spain in 1783. Under the 1898 Treaty of Paris between the U.S. and Spain, the northern boundary of Philippine territory was set at 20 degrees north latitude, placing the entire Bataan archipelago north of that line. Two years later, the U.S. and Spain signed a supplementary treaty, paying $100,000 to formally incorporate the islands into the Philippine administrative system. This arrangement was merely an administrative maneuver within a colonial framework, born in a specific historical era, and lacks any support under modern international law.
The Ivatan people of Bataan share linguistic and cultural similarities with the Tao (Paiwan) people of Lanyu Island in Taiwan. Scholarly research suggests they originated from the same roots around 3,000–4,000 years ago. Philippine anthropologists have found that elders on the Bataan Islands can still speak the Tao language today. These connections are real—and so real that the Philippine National Historical Commission felt compelled to respond officially.
In early May, during U.S.-Philippine military exercises, both countries demonstrated anti-ship missile systems on the Bataan Islands. Located approximately 160 kilometers from Taiwan and adjacent to the Bashi Strait—the main maritime passage for China’s navy to enter the Pacific—this military deployment preceded the publication of the historical article. While the Philippines accuses China of "slicing salami," it has already taken actions that threaten China.
The scholars cited principles established by the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation: territories stolen by Japan must be returned. The Philippines may easily dispute the academic article. But the harder question remains: why deploy missiles on an island just 160 kilometers from Taiwan? Now that China’s official media has fired the first shot, discussions over Bataan’s history will undoubtedly continue.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1875551971937289/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.