Philippines Challenges China to Open Scarborough Shoal to International Scrutiny

The Philippines has called on China to open Scarborough Shoal to international scrutiny, amid accusations that Beijing is destroying the marine environment in the disputed territory.

Marine life in the South China Sea

The move comes as tensions between Manila and Beijing continue to escalate in the South China Sea. The Philippines has accused China of using water cannon and blocking maneuvers through disputed shoals and reefs.

“We are alarmed and worried about the situation that’s happening there,” said Philippine National Security spokesperson Jonathan Malaya.

The Philippines has also accused China of destroying coral reefs, including the harvesting of endangered giant clams, in the South China Sea. Photographs taken by the Philippine coast guard from 2018 to 2019 showed individuals, allegedly Chinese fishermen, illegally harvesting giant clams, stingrays, topshells, and sea turtles, depleting the shoal’s marine environment.

Giant clam, an endangered species

“That’s a clear evidence of being careless. They don’t really care about the marine environment,” said Jay Tarriela, the coast guard spokesperson.

The Philippines has called on China to open Scarborough Shoal to international scrutiny, saying that Beijing has no authority over the high seas and that its latest regulations go contrary to international law.

Scarborough Shoal, a disputed territory in the South China Sea

Malaya said that China’s coast guard published rules to enforce a 2021 law allowing authorities to fire on foreign vessels when its sovereignty and sovereign rights are infringed. However, the Philippines dismissed the move as a “scare tactic” to intimidate and coerce Asian neighbors.

“The Philippines will not be intimidated nor coerced by the Chinese Coast Guard. We will never succumb to these scare tactics,” Malaya said.

The Philippines has vowed to take action against China over the destruction of coral reefs and the harvesting of endangered species in the South China Sea.

A map of the South China Sea

The dispute over Scarborough Shoal is just one of many flashpoints in the South China Sea, where several countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei, are locked in a bitter dispute with China over territorial claims.

Marine life in the South China Sea

As the situation continues to escalate, the international community is watching with bated breath, hoping that a peaceful resolution can be found to the dispute.