Google has dropped the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.

Google has removed the Chinese name for Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea from its Google Maps service following calls from people in the Philippines.

Filipinos protest against China's false claims in the South China Sea. Photo: AFP.

According to AFP, citing information from Google Maps, Google initially listed both the Chinese and international (Scarborough) names for the shoal. Accordingly, the shoal is located within China's Zhongsha Islands.

Google's Manila office stated: "We have updated Google Maps to address this issue. We understand that such place names can have a profound emotional impact on people, and therefore, we promptly corrected the error upon receiving the request." However, the company later removed the name Zhongsha (Central Sands) at the request of Filipinos who demanded that the company remove the shoal from Chinese territory.

Last week, a website called Change.org launched a campaign asking Google Maps to remove the Chinese name for this shoal from its maps. The campaign has received support from nearly 2,000 people.

The campaign petition states: “China’s nine-dash line claim, encompassing almost the entire South China Sea, is illegal and creates tension with countries in the region. Google’s map showing this shoal as part of China’s Zhongsha Islands could provide legal evidence for China’s occupation of the shoal and would compel peace-loving nations to speak out against it.”

Also last week, the International Arbitration Court began hearing the Philippines' counter-arguments to China's false claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea.

On July 13, Philippine officials concluded their arguments before the court, aiming to convince the court that they had jurisdiction over the case.

Philippine Justice Minister Leila de Lima stated that the Philippines is confident that the International Arbitration Court will share the same opinion as the Philippines.

"We are pursuing peaceful measures to resolve the dispute. We can hardly confront China economically, militarily, and politically. This is the only way we want to resolve this issue," de Lima said.

Scarborough Shoal is located approximately 200km from Luzon Island in the Philippines and about 650km from Hainan Island in China. China has brazenly occupied this shoal since 2012.

Since then, the Philippines has repeatedly accused Chinese coast guard vessels of harassing Filipino fishermen at the shoal. The Chinese coast guard has even allegedly "stolen" all of their catch.

According to VOV.VN