A Philippine exhibit showcasing 60 ancient maps on Thursday has debunked China's claims of historical ownership and sovereignty over the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, the International Business Times reported.

The shoal, located 137 miles west of the Philippines' Luzon island, is claimed by both countries mainly for its natural gas and oil reserves and copious fishing grounds.

Like Us on Facebook

Philippine officials claim the maps, which date back as early as 1136 during the Song Dynasty until early in the 20^th century, show China's border territory in the south has always been Hainan Island.

The maps attest to the fact that Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc and referred to as Huangyan Island in Chinese, was never part of China's territory but the Philippines', said Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario during the opening remarks.

Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who has conducted extensive research on the territorial claims, said historical facts should be respected - not historical lies.

He told media the exhibit is viewable online at the Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs website.

Hopefully, viewing the maps would help claimant nations to recognize the facts and to either refrain from "extreme nationalism fuelled by historical lies" or make way for a durable and just resolution of disputes, he added.

While the shoal has never been included in any of China's old maps, exhibit organizers said several ancient maps dating back as early as 1636 and drawn by Filipinos and foreigners alike had included the reef as part of Philippine territory.

According to Reuters, a previous lecture by Carpio claimed the rocky outcrop had been jointly used by U.S. and Philippine military forces during the 1960s to 1980s as a maritime gunnery range.

China had not protested the naval practices.

Beijing maintains its sovereignty over the shoal and claims Chinese explorers first discovered the territory centuries ago.

In June 2012, the Scarborough Shoal was seized by China following a tense standoff with Philippine naval officials that lasted for nearly three months after Chinese fishermen were caught poaching in the area.

Since then, Manila has filed an arbitration case with the UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea which questions Beijing's nine-dash line claim over almost 90 percent of the South China Sea and seeks clarification on its rights under international law with regard to the dispute.

A decision on the case is expected to be released next year.

TagsScarborough Shoal, Antonio Carpio, Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs, International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, ITLOS, Historical Truths and Lies: Scarborough Shoal in Ancient Maps