China conducted patrols around Scarborough Shoal on Dec. 27 —report

BEIJING/MANILA - China's coast guard conducted patrols around the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea on Friday to safeguard China's territorial rights, state television CCTV reported.

The China Coast Guard (CCG) has continued to strengthen law enforcement patrols in the territorial waters and surrounding areas of Scarborough Shoal since December.

The Philippine Embassy in Beijing did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Scarborough Shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is a triangular coral reef formation which surrounds a lagoon.

It is famed for its rich waters and marine resources.

The shoal is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

In 2016, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) deemed Scarborough Shoal a high-tide feature, meaning a number of its rocks remained exposed at high tide. 

Despite this, the tribunal found that the high-tide features at the shoal “are rocks that cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own” and therefore shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.

China, which does not recognize the ruling, also claims sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal, which it calls “Huangyan Dao” and treats it as part of the Zhongsha Islands.

Earlier this month, China submitted to the United Nations (UN) a statement on the baselines of its territorial sea which included a chart showing the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal as part of its territorial waters.

The Philippine Mission to the United Nations, led by Ambassador Antonio Lagdameo, thereafter firmly asserted that Bajo de Masinloc is part of the country's territory despite China's claims.

Ambassador Lagdameo emphasized that the 1982 UNCLOS and the binding 2016 Arbitral Award on the South China Sea serve as the foundation of the Philippines' claim over Scarborough Shoal.

Lagdameo also mentioned to the UN the new Philippine laws related to maritime zones and archipelagic sea lanes.

On Dec. 19, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 12 Chinese vessels were monitored in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc.

The PCG distributed food packages and groceries to Filipino fishermen who were fishing in the area at the time.

On Dec. 20, China alleged that a Philippine aircraft entered what it claimed was Chinese airspace. According to the CCG, the Philippine C-208 aircraft flew over the Scarborough Shoal.

The PCG clarified on Dec. 21 that neither a  Philippine aircraft nor Philippine ships were expelled from the Bajo de  Masinloc, disputing claims made by the CCG.

"The PCG vessels and BFAR aircraft conducted legitimate patrols in our waters at Bajo de Masinloc to ensure the safety and security of Filipino fishermen," said Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.

He emphasized that the PCG vessels and BFAR [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources] aircraft departed the area voluntarily after completing their mission of providing supplies to Filipino fishermen, "rather than due to any expulsion by the Chinese coast guard." —Reuters/KG, GMA Integrated News