Philippines renames coast 'West Philippine Sea'
The Philippines officially named South China Sea waters off the country’s west coast the “West Philippine Sea”, in a move on that could further raise tensions with China.
President Benigno Aquino said on Wednesday that the Philippines had officially named South China Sea waters off the country’s west coast the “West Philippine Sea”, in a move that could further raise tensions with China.
Aquino said his government would register the new name with the United Nations as part of efforts to delineate its sovereign territory, even those areas claimed by China or others.
“This is to clarify which are the areas that we are claiming,” Aquino told reporters.
China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of other countries.
The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping claims to the waters, making the area one of Asia’s potential military flashpoints.
The Philippines has been locked in an increasingly bitter row with China this year over their competing claims.
Ships from both countries engaged in a stand-off at Scarborough Shoal, a tiny group of islands in the sea, in April, and the Philippines says Chinese vessels remain there.