This aligns with the Philippine government's 2012 Administrative Order No. 29, which formally designated the maritime areas west of the archipelago as the West Philippine Sea.

“The West Philippine Sea has always been labeled on Google Maps. We recently made this label easier to see at additional zoom levels,” a Google spokesperson said in a brief statement.

A Newsweek map shows the path followed by Chinese Coast Guard's "Monster" ship as it patrolled within the Philippines' maritime zone in recent weeks, despite the U.S. ally's continued protests.

Jamillah STA. ROSA A Google Maps scan on Monday of the body of water directly west of the Philippines now shows a name once invisible to most users -- the West Philippine Sea.