South China Sea: Philippines calls for Beijing to prove Scarborough Shoal is undamaged

“We are alarmed and worried about the situation that’s happening there,” Philippine National Security spokesman Jonathan Malaya told a press conference.

Government consensus was growing on the need to file a case against China over the destruction of coral reefs, including the harvesting of endangered giant clams, in the South China Sea, Malaya added.

Photographs taken by the Philippine coastguard from 2018 to 2019 showed individuals it said were Chinese fishermen illegally harvesting giant clams, sting rays, topshells and sea turtles depleting the shoal’s marine environment.

“That’s a clear evidence of being careless. They don’t really care about the marine environment,” coastguard spokesman Jay Tarriela told Monday’s conference.

China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Beijing has repeatedly denied it is destroying coral reefs.

“If you really believe in what you’re saying, open up Bajo de Masinloc to international scrutiny, it has to be a third party,” Malaya said, using Manila’s name for the Scarborough Shoal.

Malaya said China had no authority over the high seas and the latest regulations went contrary to international law, dismissing them as a “scare tactic” to intimidate and coerce Asian neighbours.

“The Philippines will not be intimidated nor coerced by the Chinese Coast Guard. We will never succumb to these scare tactics,” he said.