Support the Philippines in the Face of Chinese Aggression in Scarborough Shoal

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China has been escalating its intimidation tactics around the Scarborough Shoal as part of its territorial dispute with the Philippines. For example, it has now declared the area a "nature preserve." Moreover, in the air and sea near the reef, Chinese fighter jets and maritime vessels have engaged in intimidating tactics by flying abnormally close to other aircraft and employing water cannon against Philippine vessels.

China has no territorial rights to establish a nature reserve. It should immediately rescind its declaration pertaining to the area and desist from its high-handed behavior.

A Timeline of Harassment

On September 10, Beijing announced that it was creating a 3,523-hectare "national nature reserve" around Scarborough Shoal. China calls the area "Huangyan Island." 

Meanwhile, near the reef on September 16, a crew member of a Philippine government vessel was injured when a China Coast Guard vessel shot a torrent of water in his direction. Earlier, in August, a Chinese fighter jet also abnormally approached a Philippine aircraft near the reef. The Philippine side has strongly protested these aggressive actions.

China Has No Sovereignty

China's claim of sovereignty over most of the South China Sea was rejected in a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. There is absolutely no legal basis for China to claim control of Scarborough Shoal. 

Furthermore, the Hague court ruling explicitly recognizes the fishing rights of the Philippines around Scarborough Shoal.

However, China has ignored the ruling, calling it "nothing more than a piece of waste paper." Beijing, nevertheless, is attempting to forcefully gain control of the South China Sea. This poses a serious challenge to the international maritime order based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Scarborough Shoal is located 200 km west of Luzon Island in the Philippines. If China were to use it for military purposes, it would pose a threat to the region.

China also falsely claims that it is establishing the nature preserve in order to protect biodiversity around the shoal. But it should realize that it is not qualified to do so. After all, China has unilaterally reclaimed land on reefs in the Spratly Islands, located southwest of Scarborough Shoal. After destroying the marine environment to create artificial islands, Beijing has then used them as military bases. 

China's Widespread Environmental Damage

An American think tank study also revealed the widespread damage to the area's coral reefs caused by China's rampant reclamation efforts. 

The South China Sea is an important sea lane for Japan. To maintain the international order and ensure that the South China Sea remains a free and open sea, Japan needs to support the Philippines. 

It was appropriate that on September 14, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuya Endo posted a message on X on this. He stated that Beijing has a "duty" to act in accordance with the arbitration court's ruling. 

The Japan Self-Defense Forces participated in joint exercises with the US Navy and the Philippine Air Force in the South China Sea on September 12-13. We welcome this exercise as it demonstrates the solidarity of the three countries and serves to deter China.

Japan needs to deepen its security cooperation with the Philippines, in concert with other willing countries such as Australia.

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Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun

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