Disinformation isn’t just about social media users sharing false statements or “fake news.” It also involves nation-states, like China, making false assertions that there are no high seas in its imaginary 10-dash line in the South China Sea. The 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration clearly states that China has no historic rights and no legal basis for its claim. What is true is that the high seas in the South China Sea are indeed covered by international law and subject to the marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, also known as the High Seas Treaty.

Manhit, D. (2024, February 14). Fighting biodiversity devastation in high areas. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A10.