MANILA — The Philippines said Wednesday it would refuse to stamp Chinese passports containing a map showing most of the China South Sea as belonging to China, as it stepped up protests over the controversial move.

The new passports have provoked angry reactions from around the region, with Vietnam, Taiwan and India all expressing their objections amid an ongoing row over Beijing’s territorial claims.

The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that immigration personnel would stamp “a separate visa application form” instead of the Chinese passport. “Through this action, the Philippines reinforces its protest against China’s excessive claim over almost the entire South China Sea,” the department said.

Stamping the Chinese passport could be “misconstrued” as legitimizing China’s claim over vast parts of the South China Sea, which are also claimed in part by the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan.
The Philippines said it was taking steps to avoid any possibility of being seen to legitimize China’s claims in the South China Sea.

It said it would no longer stamp visas for visitors from China in their passports but would issue them on a separate form. “This action is being undertaken to avoid the Philippines being misconstrued as legitimizing the 9-dash-line,” Edwin Lacierda, a spokesman for Philippine President Benigno Aquino, told reporters.

The “9-dash-line” refers to China’s claim over the South China Sea as it depicts it on maps, including the map in the passport.

Meanwhile, China said on Wednesday that people should not read too much into the placement of a new map in its passports that depicts claims to disputed territory, after the United States said it would raise concerns with Beijing over the issue.

President Benigno Aquino’s spokesman also said Wednesday the Philippines welcomed a recent US State Department statement that it planned to raise concerns over the new Chinese passports with China.

“The aim of China’s new electronic passports is to strengthen its technological abilities and make it convenient for Chinese citizens to enter or leave the country,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a daily news briefing.

“The issue of the maps in China’s new passports should not be read too much into. China is willing to remain in touch with relevant countries and promote the healthy development of the exchange of people between China and the outside world.” — Agencies