Now Reading: US backs Philippines after China sets Scarborough reserve
-
01
US backs Philippines after China sets Scarborough reserve
The United States has rejected China's move to establish a national nature reserve on Scarborough Reef, saying it blocks Filipino fishermen from their traditional grounds. The US State Department said Beijing's action…
The Story in Brief
The United States has rejected China's move to establish a national nature reserve on Scarborough Reef, saying it blocks Filipino fishermen from their traditional grounds. The US State Department said Beijing's action violates the 2016 arbitration ruling and is another unilateral attempt to advance its claims in the South China Sea. Washington affirmed its support for the Philippines and a free, open Indo-Pacific, according to a press release.
China's new management measures for the reef, issued on August 1, include 16 articles to run the reserve approved by the State Council in September 2025. The joint rules were released by the natural resources ministry, forestry administration, coast guard, and Hainan province. Beijing has consistently refused to accept the 2016 UNCLOS tribunal ruling that China has no legal basis for its claims in the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
The Indian Opinion
The Scarborough standoff is a test of whether China can claim environmental stewardship without weaponising it. Calling a reef a nature reserve while denying Filipino boats entry is transparently coercive. Beijing's talk of conservation loses credibility when it ignores an international ruling. The US is right to object, but its Indo-Pacific rhetoric must match action. Watch if Manila seeks new patrols or joint exercises with Washington, and whether China responds with more coast guard vessels. That will show whether the noise is real or just diplomatic theatre.
Sources (2): aajtak.in, aajtak.in (2)
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
