Beijing has dismissed Manila’s recent diplomatic protest concerning a floating structure spotted inside Scarborough Shoal, a highly contested flashpoint in the South China Sea.
Chinese Embassy spokesperson Ji Lingpeng defended the deployment, maintaining that the shoal belongs to Beijing.
“China has indisputable sovereignty over it and its adjacent waters. It is fully within China’s sovereign rights to carry out activities, including scientific research,” Ji said, asserting that the feature is part of “China’s inherent territory.”
In response, the Philippine government confirmed it has filed a series of protests. Manila emphasized that the installation of any permanent structures or construction at the shoal—which it calls Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag—crosses a “red line” and remains completely unacceptable.
The dispute over the shoal intensified in 2012 when China seized control of the area following a tense standoff with Philippine ships. The incident led Manila to seek international arbitration at The Hague.
In 2016, the tribunal ruled that Beijing’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea lacked legal foundation under international law. However, China has repeatedly ignored the landmark decision.
Ji doubled down on Beijing’s defiance regarding the arbitral award.
“China will never accept the ruling, saying it is illegal, null and void. This position is consistent, clear and firm. China will continue to firmly uphold its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea,” Ji reiterated.
The Philippines continues to argue its sovereign rights over the shoal, pointing out that the feature sits well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.
Scarborough Shoal is located just 124 nautical miles from the northwestern coast of the Philippines, whereas it lies roughly 472 nautical miles away from Hainan, China’s closest province.