Amidst escalating tensions in the South China Sea, recent satellite images have unveiled a new obstacle at the hotly disputed Scarborough Shoal. The barrier, strategically placed near where Philippine and Chinese vessels have clashed, signals a fresh chapter in the long-standing maritime dispute.
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New Barrier at Scarborough Shoal
Recent satellite footage of the controversial Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea reveals a newly constructed floating barrier across its entrance, close to the area where Chinese coast guard vessels and Philippine ships have frequently collided. The barrier obstructing the mouth of the shoal, where the Chinese coast guard last week asserted to have driven out a Philippine vessel “illegally intruding” into Beijing’s seas, was depicted in one of the Maxar Technologies photographs from February 22 .
China’s assertions were deemed “inaccurate” by the Philippines, which last week sent a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel to patrol the shoal and deliver fuel to Filipino fisherman operating there. Manila’s efforts were deemed legal. Despite being inside the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, China yet claims the Scarborough Shoal. China has rejected the 2016 ruling by an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague, which stated that China’s claims lacked legal support.
Tensions Escalate with Barrier Deployment
The satellite image confirms a report and video that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) released on Sunday, which showed two inflatable coast guard boats from China setting up floating barriers at the entrance of the shoal on February 22. A China coast guard ship “conducted blocking maneuvers” approximately 1.3 nautical miles (2.4 km) off the shoal, according to the PCG, and closely approached the BFAR vessel.
Referring to Bajo de Masinloc, Manila’s name for the shoal, “We can assume that (the barrier) is intended for Philippine government vessels because they install it every time they monitor our presence within the BDM vicinity,” stated Jay Tarriela, a spokesman for the Philippine Coast Guard. The shoal is known as “Huangyan Dao” in China, and spokesperson for the foreign ministry Mao Ning declared that it is “China’s inherent territory”.
Growing Dispute Over Sovereignty
What Maxar Technologies called “possible Chinese interception of a BFAR vessel” in Scarborough Shoal was visible in another satellite image. Nearly the whole South China Sea is under Chinese sovereignty and is a route for ship sales worth over $3 trillion annually. There are territorial overlaps between its claims and those of Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. “What is happening at Scarborough Shoal is probably the start of Beijing’s reaction against Manila’s reaction,” stated Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated that the Philippines has opposed China’s presence at Scarborough and its attempts to obstruct the resupply of Filipino troops stationed at Second Thomas Shoal since he assumed office in June 2022. “China’s attempts to prevent Filipino fishermen from fishing at Scarborough Shoal is absolutely illegal,” Storey stated. According to the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal Verdict, fishermen from both nations are now allowed to fish there. Manila is just defending the rightful claims of Filipino fishermen.”
SOUTH CHINA SEA – Environmental and Diplomatic Stakes
The shoal is highly sought-after because of its abundant fisheries and gorgeous blue lagoon, which offers boats a safe haven during storms. A few hours after the BFAR vessel departed, the Chinese took down the barrier, according to Tarriela. The strength of the barrier and whether it would have been a challenge to larger battleships were unclear from the pictures.
The state-run media outlet Global Times claimed on Sunday that by acting against China’s sovereignty and authority, “the Philippines has abused and unilaterally sabotaged the foundation of Beijing’s goodwill to Manila” and permitted Philippine fisherman to operate nearby. The story quoted experts and stated, “China could be forced to take more effective measures to control the situation if such provocations persist.”
