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By Micah McCartney
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China has pushed back against Google Maps labeling the western stretch of the South China Sea as the "West Philippine Sea."
Newsweek has contacted Google and the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
The Philippines, a U.S. defense treaty ally, uses the term "West Philippine Sea" to refer to the portion of the South China Sea that lies within its exclusive economic zone—an area where international law accords the country the sole right to natural resources. China claims upwards of 90 percent of the strategic waterway as its territory, despite an international arbitral court's 2016 ruling dismissing its claims.
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In recent years, China has deployed its maritime forces ever deeper into the Philippine EEZ. These moves have been challenged by Manila, resulting in clashes around South China Sea hot spots that have at times seen China's coast guard engage in forceful tactics, such as ramming and water cannon blasts.
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What To Know
Earlier this week, reports said the term "West Philippine Sea" was visible on Google Maps, spurring renewed conversation about the neighbors' territorial dispute.
A Google spokesperson told Agence France-Presse: "The West Philippine Sea has always been labeled on Google Maps. We recently made this label easier to see at additional zoom levels."
During the Chinese Ministry's regular news conference on Tuesday, spokesperson Lin Jian said "South China Sea" remained the standard designation.
"For a long time, the South China Sea has been a common geographical name recognized by the international community and widely accepted by countries around the world and international organizations such as the United Nations," he said.
What People Are Saying
Martin Romualdez, the Philippine speaker of the House, said in a statement, according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer: "The proper and consistent labeling of the West Philippine Sea on the widely used platform Google Maps is welcome news for every Filipino. This simple yet powerful update reflects the growing global acknowledgment of the Philippines' sovereign rights over the maritime areas within our [EEZ]."
Ding Duo, the director of the Research Center for International and Regional Studies at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told state media the Global Times: "The Philippines' attempts to hype up the term 'West Philippine Sea' do nothing to change the fact that China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands."
What Happens Next
China has shown no sign that it intends to scale back its operations inside the Philippine EEZ. The administration of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is likewise entrenched.
Meanwhile, the Southeast Asian country continues to strengthen its security alliances with the U.S. and other countries concerned about China's increasingly assertive moves in the region.
On April 21, the Philippines and the U.S. are set to kick off their largest joint military exercise—involving 14,000 troops from both countries, about 200 Australian personnel and observers from Japan's Self-Defense Forces.
Update 4/17/25, 3:34 a.m. ET: This article was updated to identify the location of the West Philippine Sea within the South China Sea.
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