The Philippine foreign ministry on Thursday (Sept 11) strongly protested China’s plan to establish a national nature reserve in Scarborough Shoal, a disputed maritime feature in the South China Sea. In a statement, the ministry said the Philippines would issue a formal diplomatic protest, describing China’s move as “illegitimate and unlawful” because it infringes on the country’s rights and interests under international law. The ministry emphasized that the Philippines has sovereignty and jurisdiction over Scarborough Shoal, locally called "Bajo de Masinloc," and described it as a longstanding and integral part of the nation. The protest followed China’s approval of the nature reserve in the contested area.

The shoal, known as Huangyan Island by Beijing and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, has been occupied by China since 2012 and remains a key flashpoint in the long-running South China Sea dispute. Both countries claim sovereignty over the atoll, which is strategically located near major shipping lanes and is rich in fish stocks. The shoal also lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and features a lagoon that serves as a safe haven for fishermen during storms.

China’s embassy in Manila has not immediately responded to the Philippine statement on the nature reserve plan. A 2016 arbitral tribunal did not resolve the sovereignty issue over the shoal, noting that it has long been traditional fishing grounds for multiple countries, including Vietnam. However, the tribunal ruled that China had illegally blocked the Philippines from fishing in the area.

China claims nearly the entire South China Sea under its “nine-dash line,” which overlaps portions of the EEZs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Tensions have recently escalated after a Chinese navy vessel collided with a China Coast Guard ship while pursuing a Philippine Coast Guard vessel on a mission to resupply Filipino fishermen. This marked the first recorded collision between Chinese vessels in the area.