In a bold move to counter China’s control over the South China Sea, the Philippine Coast Guard has taken down a Chinese barrier that restricted Filipino fishing boats. The Coast Guard released a video showing a diver cutting through the ropes that held the barriers in place at the disputed Scarborough Shoal. The barriers, which violated international law and hindered fishing activities, were then lifted out of the water.
The Philippines stated that the barrier posed a hazard to navigation and violated international law. With tensions escalating in the South China Sea, it remains uncertain how Beijing will respond. China has expressed its intention to militarize the waters, through which a significant portion of global ocean trade passes.
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Wang Wenbin, claimed that the shoal and its adjacent waters are China’s inherent territory, over which Beijing has indisputable sovereignty. The Philippine Coast Guard revealed that their actions were directed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who was elected in the previous year.
The Philippines is not the only country in the region facing conflict with China over fishing rights and territorial claims. Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have also had disputes. While the United States does not have direct territorial claims, it has expressed its commitment to freedom of navigation. President Biden recently hosted the leaders of 18 Pacific Island nations at the White House, highlighting the growing competition for influence between the US and China in the region.
Although the US fleet has historically dominated the waters of the South China Sea, concerns have arisen as China strengthens its military presence and flexes its muscles. The Chinese have even established a military base on Mischief Reef, 900 miles from their mainland, despite an international tribunal ruling against China’s claim. This has forced Filipino fishermen, who have relied on these waters for generations, to back down in the face of armed Chinese vessels.
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