West Philippine Sea
Tarriela fires back at China's diplomatic protest over West Philippine Sea
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Philippine Coast Guard Commodore Jay Tarriela responded to the Chinese Embassy in Manila's diplomatic protest against his statements, calling it an attempt to divert attention from China's aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea. The protest stemmed from a presentation he made featuring satirical images of Chinese President Xi Jinping. Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs have yet to respond.
A majority of Filipinos continue to distrust China, with nearly eight in 10 viewing the Asian giant as the greatest threat to the country, according to an OCTA Research survey conducted in December 2025. Seventy-nine percent of respondents selected China from a list of countries. This reflects a steady intensification of this perception since 2021.
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China summoned the Philippine ambassador in Beijing on January 22, 2026, to protest remarks by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela on the West Philippine Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry demanded that Manila swiftly "undo the negative impact" of these statements. Tarriela responded that threats would not intimidate them and transparency would continue.
Italian aerospace and defense firm Leonardo has reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines' long-term capability development and modernization goals. In a statement, the company said it will invest in technologies, skills, and systems to make the Armed Forces of the Philippines future-ready. This supports the nation's push for a capable and self-reliant deterrence posture.
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Four of the Philippines' allies reaffirmed their commitment to collective security, rule of law, and stronger community-based monitoring in the West Philippine Sea. They spoke at a Stratbase Institute forum. The National Security Adviser also met with Japan's counterpart on Chinese aggression.