China Faces Backlash After Declaring Nature Reserve in Contested South China Sea

China has announced the creation of a nature reserve at Huangyan Island, internationally known as Scarborough Shoal, to safeguard its coral reef ecosystem, marking a new chapter in its efforts to assert dominance over the disputed South China Sea. The reserve, declared last week by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, encompasses the triangular chain of reefs and rocks enclosing a lagoon teeming with marine life.

However, international experts view the move as primarily geopolitical, aimed at bolstering Beijing's territorial claims rather than genuine environmental stewardship, amid escalating tensions with the Philippines and Taiwan.

Scarborough Shoal, located about 220 km west of the Philippines and 1,200 km from China, has been effectively under Chinese control since a 2012 standoff with Philippine vessels, when Beijing deployed ships to block access. The Philippines, which calls it Bajo de Masinloc, continues to challenge the occupation through regular patrols, leading to frequent confrontations.

In August, two Chinese coast guard vessels collided with a Philippine resupply boat near the shoal, injuring crew members and prompting Manila to invoke the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China's expansive "nine-dash line" claims. Prior to the reserve announcement, China delineated baselines around the shoal, formalising its administrative grip.

Environmental concerns at the shoal are severe, largely attributed to Chinese activities. Until a 2024 ban, Chinese vessels extensively harvested giant clams, whose shells have surged in value as ivory substitutes amid global bans. Initially, propellers were used to scrape reefs; later, high-pressure water cannons caused subtler but devastating erosion, according to Stanford University's SeaLight project, which monitors grey-zone tactics. Ray Powell, SeaLight's director, likened the reserve to "an arsonist who torches a property and then appoints himself fire marshal amid the ashes," suggesting it deflects blame while entrenching control.

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The declaration aligns with China's broader strategy to transition from defensive posturing to proactive governance in the South China Sea, a vital artery for $3.4 trillion in annual trade. State media CCTV framed it as both ecological and administrative, but experts like Greg Poling of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies argue it justifies prior militarisation. La Trobe University's Bec Strating called it the "weaponisation of environmental concerns", noting how conservation rhetoric masks territorial ambitions.

Marine scientists, including Chinese researchers, advocate for genuine preservation, but policymakers have politicised efforts, per Johns Hopkins' James Borton. Poling described the shoal as a "graveyard", with limited scope for meaningful restoration like coral replanting.

Unlike its controversial island-building in the Spratly Islands—where Mischief Reef was transformed from a 1995 fisher shelter into a militarised outpost with a 3,000-meter runway—experts doubt similar development at Scarborough. The shoal's proximity to China reduces the need for additional infrastructure, and announcing a preserve while constructing a base would undermine credibility, Powell noted.

The Spratlys, farther afield, offer more strategic value for power projection. As rival claimants like Vietnam and Malaysia bolster their own defences, China's reserve could escalate diplomatic frictions, complicating U.S. freedom-of-navigation operations and regional alliances like the Quad.

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