BEIJING: China’s coast guard held a National Day flag-raising ceremony on a ship in the waters off the disputed Scarborough Shoal, vowing to “stand guard” over the atoll, a major flashpoint for diplomatic flare-ups and maritime clashes with the Philippines.
Both countries claim the triangular feature in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, but it is effectively under Beijing’s control. In September, China infuriated Manila with a plan to set up a “national” nature reserve there.
Coast Guard officers standing in formation on the rear deck of the patrol vessel Dahao (3304) saluted as the Chinese flag was raised, a video showed in a Coast Guard posting on Wednesday on Douyin, known as TikTok outside China.
“We stand guard over these blue waters, assuring the nation of our unwavering commitment,” the video subtitles read.
CCG vessel 3304 had been previously challenged by the Philippine Coast Guard for its “illegal presence” at the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island while in the Philippines it is known as the Panatag Shoal.
The Philippine Coast Guard did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Wednesday.
In 2012 China seized control of the shoal after a standoff with the Philippines and has since kept a deployment of coast guard and fishing trawlers there.
A landmark ruling on South China Sea issues by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 went in favor of Manila but deciding sovereignty over the shoal was not within the scope of the decision.
The ruling held that Beijing’s blockade there violated international law as it was a traditional fishing ground for several countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam.
Flare-ups near the shoal in recent years have included the use of water cannon, boat-ramming and maneuvers by China’s coast guard that the Philippines considers dangerously close, while jets have shadowed Philippine aircraft over it.
Both sides accuse each other of provocation and trespassing, though none of the clashes have escalated into armed conflict.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Chinese Coast Guard said it had stepped up law enforcement inspections around Scarborough Shoal since September to expel the “illegal” entry of vessels.
The Southern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army, in a separate statement, said naval and air forces had also strengthened patrols around the shoal since last month to respond to “infringement provocations.”