MANILA — The European Union has escalated its criticism of China, accusing Beijing, alongside Moscow, of trying to reshape the global order and revive a spheres-of-influence model, in language that underscores growing Western alignment on security concerns from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific. Reuters reported that the EU’s new strategic paper describes China as a “key enabler” of Russia’s war in Ukraine and flags Beijing’s increasingly assertive behavior in the South China Sea a

Beijing’s counter-report is likely meant to reinforce its longstanding position that the award is “null and void,” but its publication also highlights a deeper divide: China argues sovereignty and jurisdiction were never properly adjudicated, while Manila and its partners insist the award settled the maritime entitlements issue with finality. Reuters and AP both show that the international diplomatic consensus outside Beijing still leans strongly toward the Philippine view.

MANILA — Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela blasted China Daily on Thursday after the Chinese state-run outlet posted an AI-generated video that depicted a monkey in a barong and salakot, with the Philippine flag also appearing in the imagery. He called the video racist and dehumanizing, saying Filipinos “are not monkeys” and should not be made into one

A report attributed to Jinan University that claimed the Philippines’ Batanes Islands belonged to China appears to have been quietly removed from the university’s website, after drawing sharp criticism from Philippine officials and public outrage online. The deletion came without a public retraction, correction, or explanation, even as nearly identical text remained accessible on several Chinese state-linked platforms.

The reaffirmation comes as the 10th anniversary of the ruling drew international attention. On 12 July 2026, the Philippines and 13 partner countries issued a joint statement reaffirming the award as “final and binding” and saying there is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims. Beijing responded by denouncing that statement and urging the countries to stop “spreading lies” about the arbitration.