If you want to understand why the South China Sea issue matters so much to our country and our people, I suggest to my readers to take time to read the article of Wikipedia on the subject, “Exclusive Economic Zones.” It explains the entire concept of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and the rights it confers on coastal states like the Philippines. The article also contain maps and notes on the EEZs of various countries, including China and the Philippines.

Makabenta, Y. (2019, August 8). Philippine EEZ almost as big as China's. The Manila Times, pp. A1, A4.