China Tightens Control Over South China Sea Shoal With New Rules, Drills Amid Philippines Row

China has introduced new management rules for the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve, known internationally as Scarborough Shoal, in the disputed South China Sea, as tensions with the Philippines continue to rise over competing territorial claims.

The new measures, issued by China’s Ministry of Natural Resources, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, China Coast Guard and Hainan provincial government, are aimed at regulating activities in the area and protecting what Beijing described as the shoal’s marine ecosystem.

Under the rules, China will establish a regular patrol system to monitor activities and investigate violations. Fishing, mining, and the removal of corals, coral reefs and giant clams that could damage marine life will be prohibited without approval. Entry into the reserve will also be restricted except for authorised conservation and management activities.

China said violators would face action under relevant laws, further strengthening its administrative control over the disputed waters.

The announcement came on the same day that the People’s Liberation Army Southern Theatre Command conducted naval and air training exercises around Huangyan Dao and nearby waters. The Chinese military said the drills involved multiple realistic training scenarios aimed at improving coordination between naval and air forces.

The latest move follows a series of confrontations between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea. China has accused Philippine vessels of entering waters around Huangyan Dao without permission and said its coast guard took measures to safeguard Chinese sovereignty. The Philippines has rejected Beijing’s claims and maintained that it has rights over the shoal.

The dispute has also been linked to recent disagreements over maritime activities in the area, including tensions surrounding a floating platform near Scarborough Shoal. Manila raised objections over China’s actions, while Beijing said its activities were lawful.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea through its nine dash line, while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims. The region is strategically important because of its major shipping routes and rich fishing grounds.

The Philippines continues to cite the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, which rejected China’s claim of historic rights over resources in large parts of the South China Sea. The tribunal said Beijing’s claims were inconsistent with the exclusive economic zones recognised under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

China has refused to accept the ruling, saying its territorial claims are based on historical and legal grounds and that the arbitration decision has no validity.