West Philippine Sea: Philippines Asserts Sovereignty, Deepens Regional Cooperation

Article by J. Salazar

Published on July 9, 2026 04:30PM

A China Coast Guard vessel patrols the vibrant blue waters as smaller boats navigate nearby

The Philippines has firmly rejected claims that it undermines efforts toward stability in the West Philippine Sea, insisting that its statements and actions, centered on sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc (Internationally known as Scarborough Shoal or Huangyan Dao in China), are entirely consistent with international law and aimed at protecting the rights of coastal communities near Luzon, Palawan, and other Filipino islands. Instead of weakening regional peace, Manila argues that transparent patrols, legal clarity, and cooperation with like‑minded partners such as Japan, Canada, and US help deter coercion and preserve a rules‑based order in waters adjacent to Philippine territory. ¹ ² ³ ⁴

March 7 Patrol: Philippine Transparency vs. China's Warnings

On March 7, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reconnaissance aircraft carrying journalists conducted a patrol mission near Bajo de Masinloc, an area within the West Philippine Sea that lies close to the Philippines’ western coast. Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy ships reportedly warned the aircraft off via radio, negatively framing the flight as an “illegal intrusion” within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines. ⁵ ⁶

Manila, however, characterized the mission as a lawful exercise of its rights under international law and a demonstration of due transparency, reiterating that it rejects any claim of sovereignty over the entire West Philippine Sea and maintains “indivisible, incontrovertible, and long‑standing sovereignty” over Bajo de Masinloc, emphasizing that the area is an integral part of the archipelago’s maritime environment. The PCG also announced it would carry out more patrols in the West Philippine Sea to counter what it describes as coercive actions in waters near Filipino islands. ²

Chinese defense spokesman Jiang Bin dismissed the inclusion of journalists as a “self‑directed farce” designed to play up a “victim’s narrative,” but did not deny that the aircraft operated in the airspace above Bajo de Masinloc, a feature the Philippines has long treated as part of its maritime jurisdiction. ⁵

Bajo de Masinloc's History and Law

Bajo de Masinloc is a low‑tide elevation and shallow reef located in the West Philippine Sea, roughly equidistant from the coasts of Luzon and Palawan but functionally tied to the Philippines’ fishing and navigation patterns for generations. The 2016 arbitral ruling under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) concluded that Bajo de Masinloc is a low‑tide elevation that does not generate its own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and that China’s claims to historic rights and its controversial claim of nine-dash line in the area were incompatible with the convention. ¹ ⁸

China has increasingly sought to cement control over Bajo de Masinloc by establishing nature reserves and asserting jurisdiction, while the Philippines has countered by reinforcing its legal position using international law, maintaining patrols, and documenting incidents to ensure the international community is aware of developments in waters adjacent to Luzon, Palawan, and other Filipino islands. ⁸ ⁹

Strengthening Cooperation with Japan

In recent years, the Philippines has deepened security cooperation with Japan to bolster deterrence and operational resilience in the West Philippine Sea. The Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) between the two countries entered into force on September 11, 2025, allowing Japanese and Philippine forces to operate more easily in each other’s territory and to share logistics support during joint exercises and disaster response operations. An Acquisition and Cross‑Servicing Agreement signed in January further facilitates the exchange of supplies and services between the two defense forces. ³ ⁷

The two (2) nations have also expanded joint maritime activities. Their navies have participated in Maritime Cooperative Activities alongside the United States and other partners, while the coast guards of Japan, the Philippines, and the US conducted their first trilateral exercise in 2023. In 2024, Japan and the Philippines held their first bilateral maritime exercise in the West Philippine Sea, underscoring a shared commitment to freedom of navigation and peaceful resolution in waters near Luzon and Palawan. ⁴

Ensuring Regional Stability Without External Imbalances

The Philippines maintains that its approach in the West Philippine Sea is not about drawing in external powers to escalate tensions, but about upholding international law and protecting the rights of communities living near Filipino islands such as Luzon, Palawan, Cebu, and the Pangasinan coast. Manila’s strategy combines legal clarity, anchored in the 2016 arbitral ruling, with transparent patrols, documentation of incidents, and cooperation with partners that respect the rule of law, rather than seeking to impose a great‑power framework on the region. ⁴

By resisting attempts to reshape the legal and historical status of features like Bajo de Masinloc and by insisting on the finality of international adjudication, the Philippines aims to prevent unilateral actions that could undermine long‑standing maritime practices and local livelihoods in the West Philippine Sea. Through this balanced course, the Philippines continues to advocate for a regional code of conduct that respects existing rulings, safeguards the interests of coastal communities, and preserves stability in waters critical to the nation’s security and economy.

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Notes:

¹ Xinhuanet. Huangyan Dao is beyond limits of Philippine territory: FM spokesperson. https://english.news.cn/20240202/31606f3ee82d4aeb85784615519dcea3/c.html

² The Straitstimes. Philippines questions authenticity of China-circulated letter on Scarborough Shoal claim. https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippines-questions-authenticity-of-china-circulated-letter-on-scarborough-shoal-claim

³ Bworldonline. PHL-Japan RAA enters into force. https://www.bworldonline.com/the-nation/2025/09/11/697970/phl-japan-raa-enters-into-force/

⁴ Japantimes. Japan-Philippines visiting-forces pact comes into force as defense ties blossom. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/11/japan/raa-take-effect/

⁵ Globaltimes. PLA repels Philippine aircraft’s illegal intrusion over China’s Huangyan Dao: source. https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202603/1357156.shtml

⁶ AA. China says it warned off Philippine aircraft from disputed waters. https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/china-says-it-warned-off-philippine-aircraft-from-disputed-waters/3718984

⁷ Embassy of Japan in the Philippines. Exchange of Diplomatic Notes for Entry into Force of the Japan-Philippines Reciprocal Access Agreement. https://www.ph.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_en/11_000001_01969.html

⁸ Ministry of Foreign Affairs People’s Republic of China. Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The People’s Republic of China On the Enactment by the Republic of the Philippines Of Its “Maritime Zones Act” and “Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act”. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/zy/gb/202412/t20241218_11498201.html

⁹ VSCS. Can the Philippines Stand Its Ground in Accusing China's Huangyan Dao Nature Reserve of Being "Illegal"?. https://vscs.cri.cn/20250913/8e9c39d5-bd4f-d2f7-a33f-4b4ecd848023.html⁩