NMC: PH filed 27 diplomatic protests vs China's actions in WPS in 1st semester 2026

The Philippines filed 27 diplomatic protests against China over its actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) during the first semester of 2026, the National Maritime Council (NMC) said on Monday.

NMC spokesperson Alexander Lopez said the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) filed the diplomatic protests to call out China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive (ICAD) actions in the disputed waters.

“Our DFA filed a total of 27 diplomatic protests for the semester, especially on the ICAD actions in WPS by the Chinese Coast Guard and other activities of their maritime forces,” Lopez said at a press conference.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said the overall number of reported incidents involving Chinese maritime forces in the area has been more limited compared with the previous year.

“The last water cannoning incident that we have reported was December of 2025 and then the most recent was two weeks ago during the Kadiwa Para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda operation of BFAR and the PCG wherein BFAR vessel was once again subjected to water cannon,” Tarriela said.

“So if your question is the number of incidents per se, I think there is much more limited number of incidents that we have reported so far compared to the previous year,” he added.

Tarriela added that the PCG continues to monitor Chinese maritime activity in Bajo de Masinloc where three floating buoys and a floating barrel remain in the area.

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision. —KG, GMA News