US rejects China's "nature reserve" plan at Scarborough Reef, backs Philippines

Washington [US], August 9 (ANI): The United States on Saturday (local time) "rejected" China's move to establish what it called a "national nature reserve" at Scarborough Reef, saying the measure could restrict Filipino fishermen's access to their traditional fishing grounds.
In a press release, the US Department of State said, "The United States rejects China's ongoing attempts to enforce its destabilising "national nature reserve" at Scarborough Reef and deny Filipino fishermen access to their traditional fishing ground as reflected in the 2016 Arbitral Award. This is yet another unilateral attempt by China to use dubious environmental and legal pretexts, backed by coercion, to advance its sweeping territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea at the expense of its neighbours."
"The United States stands with our Ally, the Philippines, in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific," the statement further read.
The statement followed China's announcement of new management measures for the disputed feature, referred to by the Philippines and international legal documents as Scarborough Shoal. According to China Daily, the measures were issued on August 1 and consist of 16 articles aimed at managing the newly established "national nature reserve".
China Daily reported that China's State Council approved the establishment of the "reserve" in September 2025, with the measures jointly issued by China's Ministry of Natural Resources, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, China Coast Guard, and the People's Government of Hainan Province.
According to the Chinese state-run outlet, the measures establish a coordination mechanism among the four agencies to address major issues, strengthen cooperation and information-sharing, and enhance supervision and law enforcement against activities deemed illegal.
The development comes amid continued tensions between China and the Philippines over Scarborough Shoal, a disputed feature in the South China Sea.
The 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, issued by the arbitral tribunal constituted under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), found that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the maritime areas falling within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. However, China has rejected the same. (ANI)