BEIJING: Tensions have escalated in the South China Sea as Beijing cautioned Manila against “stirring up trouble” after the Philippine Coast Guard removed a floating barrier at a contested reef, believed to have been deployed by China to block Filipino fishermen from accessing the area.
The long-standing dispute over Scarborough Shoal, known as Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines, continues to be a source of contention between the two nations. China’s seizure of the reef from the Philippines in 2012 and subsequent deployment of patrol boats have strained diplomatic relations.
The recent conflict arose when a 300-meter (328-yard) floating barrier was discovered across the entrance of Scarborough Shoal during a routine Philippine government resupply mission to support local fishermen operating in the vicinity of the reef.
The Philippines swiftly condemned the installation, and on Monday, the Philippine Coast Guard announced the successful removal of the barrier in a special operation ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos. Details revealed that the Coast Guard had cut a rope connecting the buoys to an anchor on the seabed, enabling the line to drift away.
In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin reiterated China’s claim over the sovereignty and maritime rights of the shoal, known as Huangyan Island in Chinese. Wang warned the Philippines against provocation, stating, “We advise the Philippines not to provoke or stir up trouble.”
The steps taken by China Coast Guard were professional and restrained. pic.twitter.com/63wmFOwbmL
— Spokesperson发言人办公室 (@MFA_China) September 25, 2023
China’s Expansive Territorial Claims in South China Sea
Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano defended his country’s actions, asserting that the removal of any barrier at the reef was well within their rights. China’s expansive territorial claims in the South China Sea, encompassing nearly the entire region, have been disputed by neighboring nations and were contradicted by a 2016 international court ruling that found no legal basis for China’s stance.
Scarborough Shoal is situated 240 kilometers (150 miles) west of Luzon, the main island of the Philippines, and nearly 900 kilometers from the nearest major Chinese landmass, Hainan. Under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which China played a role in negotiating, countries have jurisdiction over natural resources within approximately 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) of their coastlines.
The Philippine Coast Guard released a video showcasing the removal of the barrier, with footage depicting a person in snorkeling gear using a knife to sever a rope connected to white buoys. Another video captured an anchor being hauled onto a wooden outrigger boat.
Following the rope’s disconnection, the Chinese government reportedly removed the barrier, effectively reopening access to the shallow waters around the shoal, where fish are more abundant.
Philippine officials had previously accused the Chinese coast guard of installing the barrier ahead of a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources resupply ship’s arrival at the shoal last Wednesday.
