China issues new rules on disputed South China Sea shoal, heightening Philippines tensions
China has issued new management measures for the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve in the disputed South China Sea, a move that is likely to further escalate its maritime dispute with the Philippines, which also claims the area.
Huangyan Dao, internationally known as Scarborough Shoal, is a group of islands and reefs located east of the Philippine island of Luzon. The area is rich in marine life and is a contested feature in the South China Sea. The new measures, announced on Saturday, are part of China's ongoing efforts to strengthen administrative control over the shoal. An official announcement in Beijing described them as a key step in safeguarding the diversity, stability and sustainability of the natural ecosystem of Huangyan Dao.
The rules, jointly issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, the China Coast Guard and the Hainan provincial government, establish a routine patrol system to promptly investigate and handle violations. Activities such as fishing, mining, and the extraction of corals, coral reefs or giant clams are prohibited without prior approval. No individual or organisation may enter the reserve except as provided by law or for conservation and management purposes, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. Violators will be held accountable under relevant laws and regulations, the announcement said.
Earlier on Saturday, the People's Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command conducted a joint naval-air training exercise in the territorial sea and airspace of Huangyan Dao and surrounding areas. The Chinese military said the exercise focused on multiple realistic training subjects, though it did not provide further details. This latest show of military activity underscores the strategic importance of the area.
The South China Sea is a crucial shipping route, with more than $3 trillion worth of trade passing through it annually. It also holds significant fishing grounds and potential oil and gas reserves. China claims most of the sea, a position challenged by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. Beijing's assertion of sovereignty is based on historical records, which it says support its claims.
The latest dispute between Beijing and Manila began last month when the Philippine military accused the Chinese Coast Guard of injuring one of its sailors during a scuffle at Second Thomas Shoal, another contested feature in the Spratly Islands. The Chinese Foreign Ministry denied the allegation, saying China had acted lawfully.
The Philippines has asserted its claims in the South China Sea, particularly after an international tribunal in 2016 ruled against China. A five-judge panel appointed by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, acting on a petition filed by Manila, struck down Beijing's claims of historic rights within the 'nine-dash line'. The tribunal concluded that China's claims were incompatible with the exclusive economic zones provided for under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China rejected the ruling, stating that the tribunal had no jurisdiction and that its rights over the South China Sea were legal.
The new management measures for Huangyan Dao come amid a deteriorating relationship between the two countries over the shoal. Manila has repeatedly called on Beijing to respect the 2016 ruling, which also declared Scarborough Shoal to be within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. However, China has consistently refused to accept the ruling, insisting that it is null and void.
The standoff over Huangyan Dao has been a persistent point of tension in Sino-Philippine relations. In 2012, a naval standoff at the shoal led to China gaining effective control over the area. Since then, the Philippines has periodically attempted to reach a negotiated settlement, but no lasting resolution has been achieved. The new measures are likely to further complicate efforts to ease tensions in the region.
