The foreign minister of the Philippines' new government under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. says the 2016 international arbitration ruling over claims in the South China Sea is final.

Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo released a statement on Tuesday -- the sixth anniversary of the ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague -- saying that the court's decision can no longer be disputed.

The ruling dismissed almost all of China's claims to waters in the South China Sea and ruled in favor of the Philippines' sovereign rights and jurisdiction in its exclusive economic zone.

China has refused to accept the decision and continued to reclaim land and construct artificial islands and other structures.

Dozens of people rallied in front of the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Tuesday to protest Beijing's expanding maritime activities.

The stance on the South China Sea is an about-face from that of the previous Philippine government, which tried to shelve the matter.

Manalo also spoke on Tuesday with Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa over the phone. They reportedly confirmed that the two countries will coordinate views in seeking a peaceful settlement of the matter based on the court decision.