China will ignore all diplomatic protests filed against its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea because they run counter to its objective of establishing its national boundary based on its excessive nine-dash line claims, retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio said Friday. “China’s objective is to seize all islands and waters within the nine-dash line, making the nine-dash line China’s national boundary in the South China Sea,” Carpio said in a text message to Manila Standard. “Everything that China is doing in the South China Sea is towards this objective. Naturally, China will not listen to diplomatic protests from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia that will detract China from realizing this objective,” he said.

Requejo, R. E., & Ramos-Araneta, M. (2021, April 27). China ignores protests to focus on goal—Carpio. Manila Standard, pp. A1, A2.