The Philippines has lodged a series of diplomatic protests against China following the discovery of a floating structure inside the contested Scarborough Shoal, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Tuesday.
Manila, which recognizes the feature as Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal, considers the area an integral part of its maritime territory within the West Philippine Sea.
According to the DFA, the government initiated formal diplomatic actions—including filing an official protest and several demarches—after receiving verified intelligence from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Analyn Ratonel declined to disclose the specific contents of the filings, noting that diplomatic communications are strictly confidential.
Military aerial surveillance recently confirmed the presence of a floating platform, measuring roughly six by six meters, equipped with what appears to be an antenna. Furthermore, recent military imagery captured individuals stationed on top of the structure, which is anchored inside the shoal’s lagoon.
Philippine authorities expressed concern that the deployment could be a precursor to a more permanent Chinese facility, raising anxieties over a potential occupation of the feature.
Scarborough Shoal is located approximately 124 nautical miles from Palawan, the nearest Philippine landmass, and about 472 nautical miles from China’s closest coastal territory, Hainan Province.
The resource-rich, U-shaped reef has been under Beijing’s effective control since 2012 following a tense two-month maritime standoff with Manila.
The standoff prompted the Philippines to file an international arbitration case. In 2016, a tribunal in The Hague invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea and declared Scarborough Shoal a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Chinese, and Vietnamese fishermen. China has consistently refused to recognize the landmark ruling.
The Philippine government reiterated its resolve to protect its territorial rights and sovereign jurisdiction over the strategically vital waterway.