PH naming of Kalayaan Island Group features in WPS draws China warning
China has issued a strong warning against the Philippines' move to assign standardized local names to over 100 features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the West Philippine Sea, reiterating its firm opposition to actions it believes undermine its sovereignty.
On March 26, 2026, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. issued Executive Order No. 111, mandating the adoption of standardized Philippine names for 131 geographical features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) within the West Philippine Sea. The order covers islets, sandbars, atolls, reefs, shoals, and sand cays in the Spratly archipelago, which is part of Kalayaan municipality in Palawan province. This move aims to strengthen Philippine sovereignty claims, improve governance and administration, and align official maps, charts, educational materials, and government agencies with standardized local nomenclature. The action was recommended by the National Maritime Council and formalizes naming under the 2024 Philippine Maritime Zones Act and UNCLOS principles.
China responded swiftly with a strong warning on April 1, 2026, through Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. During a press briefing, Mao Ning stated that China "strongly opposes" the Philippines' illegal renaming of features in what China calls Nansha Qundao (Spratly Islands). She accused the Philippines of illegally delineating the so-called "Kalayaan Island Group" beyond its territorial scope and assigning names to features that China claims as its sovereign territory. Mao Ning affirmed China's "indisputable sovereignty" over Nansha Qundao and adjacent waters.
The Chinese spokesperson declared that the Philippine action "infringes upon China's territorial sovereignty" and violates both the UN Charter and relevant international laws. She warned that China would take "necessary measures" to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea. This response follows China's longstanding position of claiming nearly the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 arbitral ruling that rejected China's expansive claims.
The Kalayaan Island Group includes inhabited Pag-asa Island, the only Filipino-occupied island in the Spratlys, and lies in a resource-rich area contested by multiple nations including the Philippines, China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. The region has seen frequent vessel confrontations and China's militarization of features. This naming initiative echoes the Philippines' 2012 move under President Benigno Aquino III to rename nearby waters as the "West Philippine Sea," further escalating tensions in the disputed maritime region.
Join the discussion
What do you think? Drop your thoughts below.