Manila, Sept. 11 -- The Philippine government on Thursday strongly protested China's plan to create a nature reserve at the Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea, pointing out that only Manila can put up a marine protected area in the feature.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) called the Chinese plan "illegitimate and unlawful" and told Beijing to withdraw it.

"The Philippines urges China to respect the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Philippines over Bajo de Masinloc, refrain from enforcing and immediately withdraw its State Council issuance, and comply with its obligations under international law," it said, citing the the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the final and binding 2016 South China Sea Arbi...