By Teresa Cerojano
The Associated Press
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines filed a diplomatic protest to the United Nations against China, saying its broad claim to islands and adjacent waters in the South China Sea has no basis in international law.
Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia have filed similar protests over a map China submitted to the U.N. in 2009 that claims sovereignty over islands, adjacent waters, seabed and subsoil in the South China Sea. A copy of the Philippines' protest filed April 5 was seen Wednesday by The Associated Press.
The Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam claim in whole or in part the Spratlys — a group of islands, reefs and atolls in the South China Sea believed to be sitting atop vast oil and gas reserves.
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