Philippines and China clash over South China Sea territorial claims

Tensions continue to escalate in the South China Sea as the Philippines and China trade accusations over territorial sovereignty. The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has rejected claims from the Chinese Embassy regarding the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded Philippine Navy vessel at Ayungin Shoal. AFP Spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad stated that no binding commitment was ever made to remove the vessel and characterized Beijing’s claims as an attempt to “rewrite history.”

Simultaneously, the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) reported that it tracked and issued warnings to three Philippine aircraft—an Islander, a C-208, and a PA-31T—after they entered the airspace over Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Dao). China described these movements as an “illegal invasion” of its airspace and urged the Philippines to cease “provocative acts.” The Philippines maintains that its presence in these areas is lawful, citing the 2016 arbitral award which ruled that Ayungin Shoal lies within its exclusive economic zone.