Releasing baselines for Huangyan Dao a peaceful response to Philippines' provocation: legal scholar

China's announcement about marking its territorial sea around Huangyan Dao, an atoll in the South China Sea, is a peaceful response to the provocative acts of the Philippines that violate China's territorial sovereignty, said a Chinese legal scholar.

Philippine President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. signed the so-called Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act into law on Nov 8, which China says illegally includes Huangyan Dao and most of China's Nansha Qundao and its adjacent maritime areas into the Philippines' maritime zones.

The territory of the Philippines is defined by a series of international treaties, including the 1898 Treaty of Peace between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain (the Treaty of Paris), and the 1900 Treaty between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain for Cession of Outlying Islands of the Philippines (the Treaty of Washington). Both Huangyan Dao and Nansha Qundao are beyond the limits of the Philippine territory.

The Chinese government issued a statement on Sunday releasing the baselines and base points of the territorial sea adjacent to Huangyan Dao.

Lei Xiaolu, a professor of international law at Wuhan University's China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, said in an interview with China Global Television Network (CGTN) that China's move is an act in line with international laws and regulations.

"It is an activity to display China's sovereignty over Huangyan Dao, pursuant to the principle of 'land dominates the sea.' A state who has a sovereignty over certain territory has a right to establish the baseline and claim maritime zones. According to the three international treaties that define the Philippines territory, Huangyan Dao is obviously beyond the territory of the Philippines limits. Therefore, when the Philippines officially signed Maritime Zones Act, which illegally includes Huangyan Dao and other maritime features in the spread list into its own maritime zones, China firmly rejected it as a move that severely violates China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea," Lei said.

The professor emphasized that the announcement was a reasonable act reflecting China's determination to defend its territorial sovereignty.

"China clarifies the scope of its own maritime zone claims surrounding Huangyan Dao, which will benefit all users at sea. It's a very peaceful response to the provocative activities of the Philippines since last year. Since last year, the Philippines government vessels and aircraft intruded on Huangyan Dao's territorial waters frequently and acted provocatively. China chooses to promulgate the baselines surrounding Huangyan Dao in response to those activities, which demonstrates that China's determination to defend its territorial sovereignty as well as maintain the peace and security and stability of this region," she said.

Releasing baselines for Huangyan Dao a peaceful response to Philippines' provocation: legal scholar

Releasing baselines for Huangyan Dao a peaceful response to Philippines' provocation: legal scholar

Releasing baselines for Huangyan Dao a peaceful response to Philippines' provocation: legal scholar

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that he had a phone conversation with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner to discuss the end to the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.

In a video statement posted to social media platform X, Zelensky said both sides have "good ideas for lasting peace". He stressed that Ukraine is working around the clock to bring closer the end to the conflict and to ensure that all documents and steps are "realistic, effective, and reliable."

The two sides discussed certain substantive details of the ongoing work, the Ukrainian president said, adding that they have "good ideas that can work toward a shared outcome and the lasting peace."

He expressed the hope that the understandings and the ideas discussed between the two sides can be useful.

Zelensky added that Rustem Umerov, head of the Ukrainian negotiating delegation and secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, held follow-up communication with Witkoff and Kushner later during the day.

The latest development came after Zelensky has recently unveiled a 20-point draft peace plan, which was agreed on by U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators and is being reviewed by Russia.

On the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia is analyzing the peace proposal on Ukraine submitted by Russian special envoy Kirill Dmitriev, following his recent meeting with U.S. officials.

"We are analyzing these materials, and subsequently, in accordance with the decision made by the Head of State, we will continue consultations with the U.S. side," Peskov said.

Earlier, Peskov said Dmitriev had briefed President Vladimir Putin on the outcomes of his trip to Miami.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told at a press briefing on Thursday that negotiations with the United States are progressing "slowly but steadily."

She said that Russia is "ready to continue working within the framework defined at the highest level in Anchorage," referring to summit between President Putin and President Donald Trump in Alaska this August.

Zakharova also accused Western European states of "torpedoing" the diplomatic progress.

She also added that Russia is ready to formally state in a written document that it has no intention to attack NATO or EU countries.

Also on Thursday, Alexey Likhachev, director general of Russian nuclear corporation Rosatom, said his company had received information concerning the United States' willingness to cooperate with Russia on the issue of electricity supply from the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.

He said that some of the electricity from the Zaporizhzhia plant may be transmitted to Ukraine in the future, but the specific volume needs to be determined through negotiations.

Zelensky holds phone conversation with U.S. envoys as Russia analyzes peace proposal