U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday reaffirmed Washington’s support for the Philippines in rejecting China’s recent move to designate Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) as the “Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve.”
“The United States stands with our Philippine ally in opposing China’s destabilizing attempt to declare a ‘national nature reserve’ at Scarborough Reef,” Rubio said in an official statement.
He criticized the move as part of Beijing’s broader efforts to assert expansive territorial and maritime claims in the South China Sea, often at the expense of neighboring countries.
“China’s declaration is a coercive tactic meant to reinforce its sweeping claims,” Rubio stated. “By doing so, it continues to deny Filipino fishermen access to their traditional fishing grounds.”
Rubio also reiterated the United States’ call for China to comply with the July 12, 2016, ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The tribunal had invalidated China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim and found that it had unlawfully restricted Filipino fishing activities at Scarborough Shoal.
“The 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling is final and legally binding on both parties,” Rubio emphasized. “China must honor that decision and cease unlawful interference in the region.”
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has also announced plans to file a formal diplomatic protest against China’s move, which is widely viewed as an effort to legitimize its presence and claims in the disputed waters.| – Balikas.net / BNN Integrated News
