West Philippine Sea - Atin Ito

Former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio stated that China cannot prevent the Philippines from constructing at Ayungin Shoal, part of the country's exclusive economic zone under a 2016 arbitral ruling. Carpio said, 'The arbitral award declared Ayungin Shoal part of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines. In the EEZ, there is freedom of navigation and overflight for all states.' He added that as the adjacent coastal state, the Philippines has the exclusive sovereign right to erect artificial structures on Ayungin Shoal without seeking permission from any state.

In response to a statement by Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan, who blamed the recent confrontation between China Coast Guard and Philippine Navy personnel at Ayungin on a violation of a 2024 provisional agreement, Carpio maintained that 'That's against the spirit of the provisional agreement.' The Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro raised the Philippines' protest over the recent Ayungin Shoal incident during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, as Manila pressed Beijing on maritime disputes despite renewed diplomatic engagement. Lazaro reiterated the country's consistent positions and concerns over actions that have infringed on Filipino personnel safety. Both ministers discussed political and security matters, regional developments, and cooperation in various sectors, emphasizing the importance of maintaining open channels of communication and resolving disputes peacefully, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

The Philippine military on Wednesday rejected claims that Beijing permitted a medical evacuation from Ayungin Shoal, saying the operation required no foreign approval, The Manila Times reports.

"The Philippines does not ask for, nor does it require, the permission of any foreign nation to conduct operations within its own Exclusive Economic Zone," the Armed Forces of the Philippines said in a statement.

The military called the China Coast Guard's assertion a "false narrative intended to project illegitimate authority," following Tuesday's joint mission with the Philippine Coast Guard at the BRP Sierra Madre.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. summoned Chinese Ambassador Jing Quan to protest an attack on a Filipino sailor at Ayungin Shoal, the Department of Foreign Affairs said Wednesday.

"President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. already summoned Ambassador Jing Quan yesterday, and he firmly conveyed the Philippines’ protest over the violent actions against Filipino Navy personnel," DFA maritime affairs spokesperson Rogelio Villanueva Jr. said, the Philippine Daily Inquirer reports.

Jing disputed the characterization, saying the meeting was "not a kind of diplomatic protest" but a "constructive" exchange of views on bilateral relations.