US Criticizes China's Environmental Pretext for South China Sea Claims

The US State Department issued a strong condemnation on August 8, criticizing China's actions in the waters around Scarborough Shoal, alleging that Beijing is using "dubious" environmental reasons to bolster its sovereignty claims. Spokesperson Tommy Pigott stated that the US rejects China's unilateral implementation of a "national nature reserve" established around the shoal in 2025. The US accuses China of using unsubstantiated legal and environmental justifications combined with coercive measures to prevent Filipino fishermen from accessing their traditional fishing grounds and to expand its territorial claims in the South China Sea. "The United States stands with its ally, the Philippines, to support a free and open Indo-Pacific region," the statement emphasized. Earlier, at an ASEAN meeting in Manila, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also voiced opposition to interference by Chinese vessels against Philippine ships, including recent incidents involving water cannons. At that time, Rubio also affirmed that the US would not abandon its ally. Tensions in the Scarborough Shoal area have escalated in recent months with numerous clashes between the coast guards of the two countries. The area, located 240km from the main Philippine island of Luzon and hundreds of kilometers from mainland China, has been claimed by both Beijing and Manila in a dispute spanning decades. In recent years, China has become more assertive in the region, conducting artificial island construction and intercepting Filipino fishermen in disputed waters. The South China Sea is not only a strategic area for military activities but also a maritime trade route through which goods worth over $3 trillion pass annually. China claims sovereignty over almost the entire area, but this was rejected by an international tribunal in 2016. China's claims here conflict with those of several countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. An article published on Al Jazeera on August 8 commented that China is seeking to transform its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea into greater economic and military power. Meanwhile, the US seeks to leverage such territorial disputes to consolidate its position in Asia, frequently intervening and siding with regional allies against threatening maneuvers from Beijing. In July, the US and Japan joined the Philippines in maritime drills in the South China Sea. Concurrently, China also organized a routine patrol by its naval and air forces in the South China Sea, accusing the three-nation drills of "affecting regional peace and stability." In a notable development, China on August 6 officially acknowledged the deaths of two of its coast guard members during a mission in the South China Sea last August – nearly a year later. This is considered the first official admission of casualties in a serious collision between Chinese vessels. On August 11, 2025, a Chinese coast guard vessel directly collided with the bow of a Chinese naval destroyer while both ships were maneuvering to obstruct Philippine Coast Guard operations assisting fishermen at Scarborough Shoal. These two individuals have been recognized by China as "martyrs." Chinese officials had not previously directly admitted to this collision. At the time of the incident, Philippine National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano confirmed that two Chinese personnel had died and a third was missing. Beijing had accused the Philippines of "dangerous maneuvering" at the time but did not directly mention the collision. Meanwhile, the Philippine Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated it was not responsible for the accident, which they described as an "unfortunate outcome."