The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has urged Beijing to halt its ongoing occupation of Panganiban (Mischief) Reef and Subi Reef, reiterating that both maritime features lie squarely inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) alongside the landmark 2016 Arbitral Award, the foreign department reaffirmed Manila’s sovereign rights over the territory. The DFA emphasized that China’s continuous island-building activities on these reefs violate both international law under UNCLOS and domestic legislation under the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.
The diplomatic pushback comes on the heels of a fresh confrontation in the West Philippine Sea on Monday, where the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) reportedly fired multiple flares in the direction of a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) plane carrying out a routine maritime domain awareness mission.
Prior to the aircraft’s landing on Pag-asa Island, Chinese personnel stationed at Panganiban and Subi (Zamora) Reefs also transmitted radio warnings challenging the Philippine flight.
The encounter marks the latest escalation in the ongoing standoff between Manila and Beijing, as the Philippines continues to assert its lawful maritime rights against persistent Chinese incursions within its EEZ.