Philippines Protests China Nature Reserve at Disputed Scarborough Shoal

The Philippines has strongly condemned China's decision to establish a national nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, in the South China Sea, calling it a violation of international law and a threat to Philippine sovereignty. Philippine officials, including National Security Adviser Eduardo Año and the Department of Foreign Affairs, labeled the move as an illegal pretext for occupation and a unilateral action that infringes on the Philippines' sovereign rights and exclusive economic zone, urging China to respect the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling that invalidated China's broad claims over the area, Beijing's approval of the Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve signals an escalation in territorial tensions and stricter enforcement that could restrict Filipino fishermen. China defends the reserve as a measure to conserve the atoll's ecosystem and maintain biodiversity, but Manila warns it could be used to justify arrests and exclusion under the guise of environmental protection. The Philippines plans to file formal diplomatic protests against China's designation, calling for cooperation, transparency, and respect for international law rather than unilateral declarations. This latest development continues to complicate diplomatic relations between the two countries over the strategically important and resource-rich South China Sea region.