China Declares Modest New Baselines Around Scarborough Shoal in South China Sea

In a recent development in the South China Sea, China has declared new “baselines” around Scarborough Shoal, a contested coral atoll in the region. This move is seen as a pre-calculated response to the Philippines’ enactment of new maritime laws aimed at safeguarding its claims over the reef and other disputed areas in the sea.

Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Dao in Chinese and Bajo de Masinloc by the Philippines, is located in the northeast of the South China Sea, approximately 116 nautical miles west of the Philippine island of Luzon. The atoll is significant due to its strategic location and the rich marine resources it harbors. At high tide, it is reduced to a few tiny islets, but at low tide, it becomes the largest coral atoll in the South China Sea.

China’s declaration of new baselines around Scarborough Shoal reaffirms its sovereignty claim over the area, which is part of the broader dispute in the South China Sea. However, the new baselines enclose a much smaller area than previously feared, providing some relief to other countries involved in the dispute. The South China Sea arbitration tribunal had previously ruled that international law prohibits such expansive claims by China.

The Philippines has rejected China’s declaration, stating it violates the country’s long-established sovereignty over the shoal. Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro emphasized that Beijing’s actions reflect an increasing demand for the Philippines to concede its sovereign rights in the area.

The move by China also signals a potential increase in law enforcement activities in the region. The China Coast Guard has announced plans to step up patrols to protect the local ecosystem, biological resources, and national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights. This could set the stage for further confrontations, particularly given the history of clashes related to fishing access around Scarborough Shoal.

The situation is closely watched by other countries with claims in the South China Sea, including the Spratly Islands, another highly contested archipelago. China’s actions around Scarborough Shoal may indicate future moves to assert its claims over the Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by the Philippines and several other nations).