dexinwin BEIJING, September 25, 2026— China has again urged the Philippines to immediately stop what Beijing describes as provocative activities at sea and avoid actions that could further increase tensions in the South China Sea.
The latest warning comes amid a series of maritime confrontations and competing claims between China and the Philippines. Chinese authorities have repeatedly called on Manila to stop what they characterize as provocations and the spread of what Beijing considers misleading narratives regarding incidents at sea.
According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Beijing has maintained that it will continue to safeguard its claimed territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests while calling for the South China Sea to remain peaceful and stable.
China and Philippines Give Different Accounts of Maritime Incidents
One of the latest disputes centers on an incident near Xianbin Jiao, known internationally as Sabina Shoal.
At a September 18 press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said a Philippine government vessel had initiated what China described as a provocation and deliberately collided with a China Coast Guard vessel in waters adjacent to Xianbin Jiao.
The Philippine side, however, has presented a different account of the incident. International media reports have cited Philippine officials as saying that a China Coast Guard vessel rammed a Philippine boat near Sabina Shoal.
Because the two sides have provided conflicting descriptions of the encounter, the circumstances surrounding the collision remain a matter of dispute. China has urged the Philippines to stop what it calls “infringement activities” and the dissemination of false information.
Disputes Extend Across Several Areas
The latest confrontation is part of a broader pattern of maritime disputes between Beijing and Manila.
China has repeatedly raised objections to Philippine activities around several contested features in the South China Sea, including Huangyan Dao and Ren’ai Jiao. In July, Beijing also criticized the Philippines over its claimed territorial-sea baselines around Huangyan Dao, saying the move violated China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
China has also maintained that its position on the South China Sea arbitration remains unchanged. Beijing rejects the 2016 arbitral ruling and says it does not recognize the ruling or claims based upon it.
The Philippines takes the opposite position. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has repeatedly said that Manila will continue to uphold the 2016 arbitral award and pursue what his government describes as its sovereign rights through peaceful and legal means under international law.
Manila Says It Will Continue to Uphold Its Position
The Philippine government has emphasized that it considers the 2016 arbitral award an important basis for its position in the South China Sea.
At the 10th anniversary of the award in July, Marcos said the Philippines would continue using peaceful and legal means to uphold the ruling. Philippine officials have also said that the country intends to defend its maritime rights while avoiding an abandonment of its stated legal position.
At the same time, Philippine authorities have acknowledged the need to monitor developments at sea carefully. In September, the Philippine Coast Guard was reported to be verifying information concerning the presence of Chinese vessels in waters claimed by Manila.
Calls for Dialogue Amid Rising Tensions
Despite the increasingly sharp rhetoric, both sides have publicly referred to the importance of maintaining stability and managing disputes.
China has said maritime disputes should be addressed through dialogue and consultation and has repeatedly called on the Philippines to stop actions it considers provocative. Philippine officials, meanwhile, have said that they intend to defend their stated maritime rights through peaceful and legal mechanisms.
The continuing disputes have therefore created a complicated situation in which maritime encounters, competing legal interpretations and differing accounts of individual incidents are closely intertwined.
For China, the immediate priority stated by its officials is to prevent further infringements on what Beijing regards as its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. For the Philippines, the government continues to emphasize its interpretation of international law and the 2016 arbitral award.
As maritime confrontations continue to attract regional and international attention, the handling of encounters at sea, communication between the two governments and efforts to prevent incidents from escalating will remain important factors in the future development of China-Philippines relations and the broader security environment in the South China Sea.
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