On Saturday, the United States criticised China over moves near Scarborough Shoal, a contested territory in the South China Sea. The US said China was using questionable “environmental” rationale to advance its territorial ambitions in the region.
Scarborough Shoal is a fish-rich reef. It’s around 240 kilometres from Luzon, the biggest Philippine island, but distant from mainland China. The Philippines and China both claim the shoal.
US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the United States opposed China’s effort to impose a “national nature reserve” at the shoal. “This move is destabilising and stops Filipino fishermen from going to their traditional fishing grounds,” he said.
This is another example of China utilising flimsy environmental and legal arguments and pressure techniques to increase its claims over marine areas at the expense of neighbouring countries, said Pigott.
China has promulgated new guidelines on administering the wildlife reserve it established around the shoal last year. The shoal is under Beijing’s authority now.
China claims most of the South China Sea, including waters surrounding the Scarborough Shoal. But an international court opinion has previously declared that there is no legal basis for China’s claim.
The Philippines and China often clash over these disputed waters, with the last incident only last month.
