AFP won't allow China to build nature reserve in Scarborough Shoal — official

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will not allow China to build a nature reserve in Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to a Navy official Tuesday.

At a press briefing, Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trindidad was asked if China's Southern Theater Command could control the shoal following Beijing’s announcement on the planned nature reserve.

“Whatever the adversary the South Sea Fleet would plan is beyond us,” Trinidad said.

“What we control is the actions of the Armed Forces, the Philippine Navy, the Air Force, and the Philippine Army. At hindi natin papayagan na ang sa atin ay mawawala,” he added.

(And we will not allow what is ours to be lost.)

In case China occupies Scarborough Shoal, Trinidad said the AFP knows what to do but he refused to share specific details.

“We will not delve into details to give an advance declaration of our actions. Rest assured that your Armed Forces knows what to do. We are good with what we have,” Trinidad said.

According to Trinidad, maritime domain awareness operations through different platforms such as sea-based, shore-based, and air-based are constantly monitoring the shoal.

On September 10, China announced the creation of a national nature reserve in Scarborough Shoal.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on September 13 said it formally filed a diplomatic protest against China over its plan.

Australia, Canada. and Japan also rejected China's nature reserve in Scarborough Shoal.

Scarborough Shoal is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

READ: EXPLAINER: What is Scarborough Shoal and why is it important?

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision.