Google removes Chinese name of 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 Filipinos.

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

AFP quoted information on the Google Maps website as saying that initially, Google left both the Chinese name and the international name (Scarborough) of this shoal. Accordingly, this shoal is located in China's Zhongsha Islands.

“We have updated Google Maps to address this issue. We understand that such names can have a deep emotional impact on people, so we quickly fixed the issue upon receiving a request to do so,” Google’s Manila office said in a statement. However, the company later removed the name Zhongsha following a request from Filipinos to remove the name of the shoal from Chinese territory.

Last week, a Change.org campaign asking Google Maps to remove the shoal’s Chinese name from its maps garnered nearly 2,000 supporters.

The campaign’s petition stated: “China’s nine-dash line claim covering most of the South China Sea is illegal and has caused tension with countries in the region. Google maps showing the shoal as part of China’s Zhongsha Islands could create legal evidence for China’s occupation of the shoal and will force peace-loving countries to speak out against it.”

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

On July 13, Philippine officials concluded their arguments before the court to convince it that they have the right to handle this lawsuit.

Philippine Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said the Philippines is confident that the International Court of Arbitration will also share the same opinion as the Philippines.

“We are pursuing peaceful means to resolve the dispute. It is difficult for us to confront China economically, militarily and politically. This is the only way we want to resolve this issue,” Mr. de Lima said.

Scarborough Shoal is located about 200km from the Philippine island of Luzon and about 650km from China's Hainan Island. China has blatantly 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 even “robbed” their entire catch.

According to VOV.VN