A Philippine Coast Guard member uses his phone to record the view of Philippine-occupied Thitu Island while onboard a plane in the disputed South China Sea, February 21, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS
MANILA, March 16 (Reuters) – The Philippine foreign ministry said on Monday it rejected Beijing’s assertion of jurisdiction over the entire South China Sea, asserting what it called Manila’s “indivisible, incontrovertible and longstanding sovereignty” over Scarborough Shoal and Thitu Island.
“China must be reminded that maritime and territorial claims are subject to established international legal procedures and dispute settlement mechanisms, not through unilateral proclamations or social media posts,” Philippine foreign ministry spokesperson Rogelio Villanueva told a briefing.
Reporting by Mikhail Flores; Editing by Martin Petty
