Philippines Rejects China's Sovereignty Claims Over Scarborough Shoal

The Philippines rejected China's claims of sovereignty over the South China Sea on March 16, 2026. The diplomatic clash intensified after the Chinese Embassy in Manila posted a 1990 diplomatic letter on social media, purportedly from former Philippine ambassador Bienvenido A. Tan Jr., suggesting the Philippines once acknowledged that Scarborough Shoal fell outside its territorial sovereignty.

Rogelio Villanueva Jr., spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs, dismissed the document as being of "uncertain origin and authenticity." He reaffirmed the Philippines' "indivisible, incontrovertible and longstanding sovereignty" over Scarborough Shoal and the Kalayaan Island Group, asserting that territorial claims must be settled through international legal procedures rather than social media posts.

The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Manila countered that the Philippines was distorting China's position and argued that the Philippine occupation of certain reefs is the root cause of the dispute. China maintains it has indisputable sovereignty based on historical evidence.

This dispute follows years of maritime confrontations and a 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling that invalidated China's sweeping claims in the region. While Manila continues to cite this ruling to defend its exclusive economic zone, Beijing continues to reject the tribunal's decision.