BEIJING – In a significant show of force, China's military and coast guard announced Friday that they have conducted coordinated patrols in the waters surrounding the highly contested Scarborough Shoal, a strategic flashpoint in the bustling South China Sea waterway.
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| FILE PHOTO: An aerial view of a China Coast Guard ship navigating near the disputed Scarborough Shoal, as Philippine Coast Guard aircraft carrying journalists patrols the area |
The move signals an escalation in Beijing's efforts to assert its dominance over the shoal, which is also claimed by the Philippines. The deployment comes amid heightened tensions and follows a recent, unusual collision between two Chinese vessels in the same area.
A Coordinated Show of Force
In separate statements, both the China Coast Guard (CCG) and the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Southern Theater Command confirmed their presence. The CCG stated that it has been intensifying its "law enforcement patrols" in the region since early August, vowing to "safeguard China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests."
More pointedly, the PLA's Southern Theater Command announced it had dispatched both naval and air force units for "combat readiness" patrols over and around the shoal. The use of military forces alongside the paramilitary coast guard indicates a higher level of seriousness and is intended to project China's capability to enforce its claims through force if necessary.
The Philippine Embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to emailed requests for comment on the Chinese statements.
A Troubling Collision and Rising Risks
The increased activity is underscored by a recent and perplexing incident. Earlier this month, a China Coast Guard vessel was reportedly damaged after a collision with a Chinese naval ship near Scarborough Shoal. The incident, the first known collision between two Chinese state vessels in the disputed area, highlights the increasingly crowded and tense nature of the waters and raises questions about coordination and maneuvering protocols among China's own maritime forces.
The Strategic Importance of Scarborough Shoal
Scarborough Shoal, known as Panatag Shoal in the Philippines and Huangyan Dao in China, has been a major point of friction for over a decade.
De Facto Control: China effectively seized control of the shoal from the Philippines following a tense standoff in 2012 and has since maintained a constant presence, frequently blocking Filipino fishermen from their traditional fishing grounds.
Legal Ruling: A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China's sweeping historical claims to nearly the entire South China Sea, including its claims over Scarborough Shoal. Beijing, however, has rejected the ruling and continues to build its presence.
Military Potential: The shoal's strategic location, just over 200 kilometers from the main Philippine island of Luzon, makes it a critical point of concern. Security analysts fear that China could one day reclaim and militarize the shoal, which would give it a commanding position to project power and potentially control access to Manila.
China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, a vital artery for global trade, overlap with the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam, making it a persistent source of regional tension. The latest patrols at Scarborough Shoal serve as another stark reminder of Beijing's unwavering determination to enforce those claims.
