Updated at 9:28 a.m. on Sept. 11, 2025.
A hotly contested chain of reefs and rocks in the South China Sea is soon to become a nature reserve, China said on Wednesday.
The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular formation claimed by China and the Philippines, has been the site of several conflicts, including an incident last month in which a Chinese coast guard vessel that was pursuing a Philippine patrol boat struck a much larger Chinese military ship. It’s known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines.
China’s State Council said that establishing a reserve on Scarborough Shoal was “an important measure for maintaining the diversity, stability, and sustainability of the atoll’s natural ecosystem.” The boundaries of the reserve would be announced separately by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, it said.
Philippine officials condemned the plan on Thursday, calling it a “clear pretext for occupation” and saying it “clearly infringes upon the rights and interests of the Philippines in accordance with international law.”
“The Philippines urges China to respect the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Philippines over Bajo de Masinloc, refrain from enforcing and immediately withdraw its State Council issuance, and comply with its obligations under international law,” the Philippine foreign ministry said in a statement.
Beijing claims jurisdiction over nearly all of the South China Sea despite a 2016 ruling from an international arbitration court denying that claim. China dismissed the ruling and has sought to strengthen its claim to areas like Scarborough Shoal, clashing with its neighbors along the way.
China’s claim overlaps with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Includes reporting from Agence France-Presse and Reuters.
