Report: Satellite Shows Barrier at South China Sea Shoal

Facts

• According to a Reuters report, satellite images show a new floating barrier across the entrance of the Scarborough Shoal — an area in the South China Sea that has seen frequent disputes between Chinese and Philippine ships.¹
• The Philippine Coast Guard released last week footage featuring Chinese coast guard boats installing barriers around the atoll allegedly to block Philippine government vessels and fishermen, amid allegations that Beijing has used cyanide in their fishing activities at the shoal.²
• Meanwhile, China's state-run Global Times claimed that Manilla has organized and funded civilian ships to unlawfully enter into waters near the reef under the guise of fishing activities to violate Chinese self-proclaimed sovereignty and jurisdiction.³
• Beijing claims almost the entire heavily trafficked South China Sea as its own territory despite protests from the Philippines as well as other neighboring countries with territorial claims.⁴
• Though the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague found in 2016 that Beijing has no legal basis to claim rights over 90% of the South China Sea, with regard to the shoal, the international tribunal limited itself to say that Chinese blockades were unlawful.⁵
• On Tuesday, the Philippine Coast Guard reported that detecting the presence of three Chinese warships as well as a PRC helicopter around the Scarborough Shoal.⁶

Sources: ¹RAPPLER, ²Sputnik International, ³Global Times, ⁴Newsweek, ⁵Reuters and ⁶The Manila Times.

Narratives

• Pro-China narrative, as provided by South China Morning Post. As the Philippines has consistently violated Chinese sovereignty over the Scarborough Shoal, Beijing had no other option than to set up this barrier across the entrance of the atoll to help protect its own maritime rights and interests. If such provocations persist, then China will be forced to take additional measures.
• Anti-China narrative, as provided by The New American. Since Beijing captured the Scarborough Shoal more than a decade ago, its coast guard vessels have harassed Philippine vessels and blocked access to fishing operations. Because these moves are part of its broader, aggressive campaign in the South China Sea, it's no coincidence that its neighbors are now pursuing deeper ties with the West.

Predictions