The Philippine government confirmed on Tuesday (June 9th) that it has lodged diplomatic protests with the Beijing authorities regarding an “illegally present” floating platform at Scarborough Shoal, also known as Huangyan Island.
According to Filipino officials, aerial reconnaissance confirmed that the facility is equipped with what appear to be antennas and is manned. The Philippines reiterated its commitment to defend national sovereignty and maritime interests.
The “National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea” (NTF-WPS) of the Philippines issued a statement noting that various government agencies observed through aerial reconnaissance that the floating platform has dimensions of approximately 6 meters by 6 meters with suspected antenna devices installed on top.
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Brawner further disclosed that six individuals were spotted on the platform during aerial reconnaissance missions conducted by the Air Force patrol aircraft.
In its statement, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs emphasized that appropriate diplomatic actions have been taken concerning the “illegally present” floating platform, asserting that “safeguarding Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction is always Manila’s top priority. The Philippine government will continue to take appropriate actions in accordance with international law to defend national interests.”
Huangyan Island is approximately 124 nautical miles from Masinloc town in Zambales Province, the Philippines. The Philippines cites the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in claiming that the shoal falls within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. The 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines, stating that China’s sovereignty claims and activities regarding the shoal violated international law, and the waters are traditional fishing grounds for various countries.
In response to the Philippine protest, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian asserted during a routine press conference that China has sovereignty over Huangyan Island and its adjacent waters, with its activities, including scientific research, being lawful.
Regarding the potential for the platform to develop into a permanent facility, the Philippine military remains vigilant.
Brawner stressed that the military will not allow the establishment of permanent structures at the site and will not allow a repeat of the Mischief Reef incident.
The Mischief Reef incident referenced by the Philippines dates back to 1994 when China initially constructed buildings on the reef under the guise of “fishermen shelters” and later embarked on extensive land reclamation starting in 2013, eventually transforming Mischief Reef into an artificial island with an airport runway, port facilities, and military installations.
Satellite images obtained by Reuters show a raft-like object at the entrance of Huangyan Island on May 30th. On June 5th, a structure was present at the lagoon entrance; however, later images indicate that the structure was no longer visible at the location.
The Philippines stated that they are closely monitoring the situation’s developments and evaluating the nature, purpose, and potential impacts of the facility.