The United States has voiced firm solidarity with the Philippines in opposing China's proposal to establish a national nature reserve at the contested Scarborough Shoal, viewing it as a tactic to bolster territorial assertions in the South China Sea.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio highlighted this stance on social media and in an official release, underscoring the alliance's commitment to countering perceived aggression.
This development follows China's State Council announcement on Wednesday, outlining a 3,500-hectare protected area aimed at preserving ecological balance in the region.
The shoal, situated 240 kilometers west of Luzon within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, remains under Chinese administration since a 2012 standoff.
Rubio described the initiative as a coercive effort undermining regional stability.
"Beijing claiming Scarborough Reef as a nature preserve is yet another coercive attempt to advance sweeping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea at the expense of its neighbors," Rubio said in a statement.
He called on Beijing to respect the 2016 arbitral tribunal decision, which ruled China's fishing bans at the shoal unlawful.
Philippine authorities swiftly condemned the initiative, with the Department of Foreign Affairs vowing to file a formal diplomatic protest against what they term an unlawful encroachment.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano labeled the plan "patently illegal," pointing to infringements on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 2016 arbitral award favoring Manila, and the 2002 regional conduct declaration. He stated:
This move by the People’s Republic of China is less about protecting the environment and more about justifying its control over a maritime feature that is part of the territory of the Philippines and its waters lie within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
Analysts suggest Beijing may be probing Manila's determination to defend its claims.
Julio S. Amador III, CEO of a Manila-based geopolitical risk firm, noted that a muted response could encourage similar maneuvers elsewhere in the sea.
Recent multinational naval exercises involving the Philippines, Australia, and Canada near the shoal demonstrate heightened vigilance against potential threats.
Meanwhile, the Philippines conducted joint operations with U.S. and Japanese forces off Zambales province, close to the disputed area.
China maintains its sovereign rights over vast portions of the South China Sea, a vital trade route handling over $3 trillion annually, amid rival assertions from Brunei, Malaysia, and Vietnam.
Local fishermen express concerns that the reserve could intensify restrictions enforced by patrolling Chinese vessels.
As responses mount, the incident underscores ongoing frictions in this geopolitically charged waterway.