China holds National Day ceremony in waters off Scarborough Shoal

BEIJING — China's coast guard held a National Day flag-raising ceremony on a ship in the waters off the disputed Scarborough Shoal, vowing to "stand guard" over the atoll, a major flashpoint for diplomatic flare-ups and maritime clashes with the Philippines.

Both countries claim the triangular feature in the busy waterway of the South China Sea, but it is effectively under Beijing's control. In September, China announced plans to set up a "national" nature reserve there, prompting Manila to protest the move.

Coast guard officers standing in formation on the rear deck of the patrol vessel Dahao (3304) saluted as the Chinese flag was raised, a video showed in a coast guard posting on Wednesday on Douyin, known as TikTok outside China.

"We stand guard over these blue waters, assuring the nation of our unwavering commitment," the video subtitles read.

The Philippine Coast Guard did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on Wednesday.

In 2012, China seized control of the shoal after a standoff with the Philippines and has since kept a deployment of coast guard and fishing trawlers there.

A landmark ruling on South China Sea issues by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 held that Beijing's blockade at the shoal violated international law, as it was a traditional fishing ground for several countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam.

Flare-ups near the shoal in recent years have included the use of water cannon, boat-ramming and manoeuvres by China's coast guard that the Philippines considers dangerously close, while jets have shadowed Philippine aircraft over it.

Both sides accuse each other of provocation and trespassing, though none of the clashes have escalated into armed conflict.

CCG vessel 3304 had been previously challenged by the Philippine coast guard for its "illegal presence" at the shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island while in the Philippines it is known as the Panatag Shoal. — Reuters