Philippines Marks 10th Anniversary of South China Sea Ruling

The Philippines commemorated the 10th anniversary of the July 12, 2016, Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on July 12, 2026. The decision, which invalidated China's expansive nine-dash line and historic claims in the South China Sea, was celebrated in Manila as West Philippine Sea Victory Day with a National Peace Walk and rallies outside the Chinese embassy in Makati City.

Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro described the ruling as a "lighthouse" and an "unshakable permanent anchor" for the international rules-based order. Philippine officials, including Armed Forces chief Romeo Brawner Jr., emphasized a strategy of assertive transparency to document Chinese aggression and called for expanded deterrence through alliances with the United States and other like-minded forces. Philippine leaders further urged that any future South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) be legally binding and anchored on the 2016 award.

The Government of China continued to reject the award, branding it illegal, null, void, and a "destabilising force." Chinese officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, argued the tribunal overreached its jurisdiction and asserted that the ruling has no relevance to the ongoing COC negotiations between China and ASEAN. Beijing maintains that its sovereignty is rooted in historical practice and advocates for bilateral negotiations over unilateral arbitration, while alleging that extra-regional powers use the award as a political weapon to contain China's development.