There are many predictions that Spratly is the next flash point of Asia. China's self-made claim of 9-dash line in the China sea will choke the US and its allies unhampered use of international waters in the area. Also China's self-proclaimed indisputable claim in the area will be challenged once they used military forces to evict rules-based claimants like the Philippines in their legitimate territory.
Since China is using a map that surfaced in 1947, detailing the 9-dash line in the area, it was more appropriate that Taiwan has the right to assert this claim since Communist Party was not yet born. Neither China of today, represent democratic government of Chinese people.
Can Chinese man-made island have an EEZ? It can't, based on UNCLOS that was ratified by China and the Philippines. Can the sea be claimed by any state based on a mere map they own? No it can't. If it would be the basis then the US must also claim South China Sea for they have maps of it ante-dated that of the pre-communist map that they insist.
As for the Philippines we also have maps of the Spratly and the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal surveyed by the Americans in our colonial times that was archived in the US.
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