Batanes

Chinese scholars recently argued that Batanes is a natural extension of Taiwan, implying it falls under China’s territorial claim. While this argument has not been adopted as official Chinese policy, it highlights how indigenous history and cultural ties can become entangled in geopolitical competition between China and the Philippines.

A university symposium in Guangzhou claimed the Philippine province of Batanes belongs to Taiwan and thus under Chinese sovereignty, sparking rejection from Philippine historians and officials. The claim, based on disputed geography and dynastic history, was presented at a June 30 event hosted by Jinan University.