China Declares Disputed Scarborough Shoal a Nature Reserve

An aerial view of the disputed Scarborough Shoal region taken on February 18, 2025. Photo by Jam STA ROSA / AFP.

The Chinese authorities announced on Wednesday that they had approved the establishment of a marine reserve around the Scarborough Shoal, an area in the South China Sea also claimed by the Philippines.

The move will likely raise tensions in a region already dominated by competing territorial claims. It follows a Chinese geographical survey of the feature in December. It was submitted to the United Nations, seen as an attempt to further formalize Chinese claims.

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by CGSP Staff

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