Taipei, Taiwan – A recent update from Google Maps now displays the “West Philippine Sea” label in the waters to the west of the Philippines, fueling a discussion on a long -standing territorial dispute with China, which continues to designate the Southern China Sea region.
Manila has used “the Western Sea of the Philippines” since 2011 to assert its maritime claims in its exclusive economic zone, or Eez, distinguishing it from the wider claim of China on the Southern China Sea. Beijing rejected the term, considering it as a political affirmation which questions its claim of “undeniable sovereignty” throughout the sea.
From April 17, the “West Philippine Sea” label was visible by default on Google Maps, without the need for users to search specifically, which was the case in the past.
“The appropriate and coherent labeling of the Western Philippine Sea on the widely used platform Google Maps is good news for each Philippin,” the president of the Philippine House of Representatives said Martin Romualdez on Tuesday.
“This simple but powerful update reflects the growing global recognition of the sovereign rights of the Philippines on the maritime areas within our ZEE.”
The spokesman for the Philippine Armed Forces, Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla, said that the inclusion of the Western Philippines Sea in Google Maps also reflects a 2016 arbitration decision which invalidated the Radical Beijing demands at the Southern China Sea.
“As defenders of national sovereignty, AFP considers this as a precious contribution to the truthful representation and the conscience of the public,” Padilla told a press briefing at the Aguinaldo camp.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that the Southern China Sea was widely recognized by other nations such as the correct name.
“For a long time, the Southern China Sea has been a common geographical name recognized by the international community and widely accepted by the countries of the world and international organizations such as the United Nations,” the ministry spokesman Jian said on Tuesday.
Ding Duo, a researcher of the Chinese National Institute for the Studies of the Southern China Sea, told the state media that the “media” Western Sea of the Philippines of the Philippines did “nothing to change the fact that China has an undeniable sovereignty on the islands of the Southern China Sea”.
We do not know why Google has made the change, but a spokesperson said to Agency France-Press: “The Western Sea of the Philippines has always been labeled on Google Maps. We recently made this label easier to see at additional zoom levels.”
Despite a decision by the Hague Court in 2016 which invalidated the vast claims of the China Sea in China in China, Beijing continued to assert control of the region, which is an important route for international shipping.
The court has ranked on the side of the Philippines, citing violations of its ZEE, but China has rejected the decision and has since expanded its presence through militarized islands, patrols and increased maritime activity – fuel growing tensions.
In April, the two nations accused each other of dangerous maneuvers near Scarborough Shoal, a contested area within the Eez of the Philippines.
The Philippine Coast Guard reported that a Chinese ship had obstructed a Filipino ship, while China alleged that the Philippin ship was dangerously approached, trying to make a collision.
The Philippines also raised concerns about Chinese interference in the exploration of resources.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Enrique Manalo, said that China prevented the Philippine companies from exploring natural resources in disputed waters, including oil and gas reserves. He cited incidents such as the water cannon, the use of lasers and the blow by Chinese forces as examples of harassment.
In response to these challenges, the Philippines and the United States have strengthened their military cooperation.
Annual “Balikatan” joint military exercises, involving around 14,000 soldiers, are scheduled from April 21 to May 9. These exercises aim to improve defense preparation and interoperability between the two allies.
Published by Stephen Wright and Mike Firn.