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3w ago

Ten Years After Hague Ruling, Philippines Still Barred From Scarborough Shoal

The anniversary highlights Manila’s legal case and U.S. maritime backing despite continued Chinese control and harassment in the shoal.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Theresa Lazaro speaks as they mark the 10th anniversary of a 2016 arbitration ruling which invalidated China's expansive claims in the disputed South China Sea during a conference in Manila, Philippines on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
People pass by an electronic board showing areas of the disputed South China Sea during a conference to mark the 10th anniversary of a 2016 arbitration ruling which invalidated China's expansive claims during a conference in Manila, Philippines on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks in a videotaped message to mark the 10th anniversary of a 2016 arbitration ruling which invalidated China's expansive claims in the disputed South China Sea during a conferene in Manila, Philippines on Friday, July 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
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Overview

  • The Philippines marked the 10th anniversary on Friday and reiterated that the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration award is legally binding and central to its diplomacy.
  • China continues to reject the tribunal and has stepped up a coordinated media and agency campaign that framed the ruling as destabilising.
  • Frontline Filipino fishers say Chinese vessels have used water cannon, cut anchor lines and briefly placed a floating barrier earlier this year to keep them out of the shoal’s lagoon.
  • The United States pledged to work with the Philippines to safeguard maritime security and described the arbitral award as the most authoritative basis for resolving disputes in the South China Sea.
  • The 2016 award rests on the U.N. Law of the Sea and has strengthened Manila’s ties with allies, but on-the-water control by China and rising incidents — including a violent 2024 encounter — leave a real risk of escalation.