We categorically reject the baseless and revisionist claims circulating on Chinese social media that Palawan was historically part of China and should be “returned” to it. These assertions are outright fabrications intended to distort history, deceive the public, and challenge the Philippinesโ sovereignty over its lawful and internationally recognized territory.
Palawan has always been and will always remain an integral part of the Republic of the Philippines. No historical record, legal precedent, nor credible evidence support the claim that Palawan was ever under Chinese sovereignty. Archaeological findings, centuries of indigenous and colonial governance, and internationally binding treaties such as the 1898 Treaty of Paris and the 1900 Treaty of Washington, unequivocally establish the Philippinesโ ownership of Palawan.
The claim that Palawan was once named “Zheng He Island” is an outright fabrication with no basis in fact. While Admiral Zheng He, a Chinese explorer, visited Southeast Asian waters in the 14th and 15th centuries, there is no historical record that he ever visited Palawan. Even if he did, such visit does not equate to ownership, just as the voyages of other explorers do not alter the sovereignty of nations today.
We are currently tracing the source of this disinformation which first appeared in Chinese social media app Weibo and Red Note, a Tiktok-like mobile application but we wish to underscore that they do not come from official government sites nor have they been carried by Chinese mainstream media outlets. Nonetheless, these false narratives, proliferated through digital disinformation and information warfare tactics, appear to be part of a broader effort to undermine Philippine sovereignty and manipulate public perception both in the Philippines and China.
The National Security Council urges the Filipino people and the international community to remain vigilant against disinformation campaigns and rely on verified historical and legal sources rather than propaganda designed to advance a geopolitical agenda at the expense of truth. ###
