Marcos condemns China's nature reserve plan at Scarborough Shoal

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. condemned attempts to turn Scarborough Shoal into a "nature reserve," asserting that the move violates Philippine sovereignty and the traditional fishing rights of its people.

He stated that this initiative contravenes the 1982 UNCLOS, the 2016 South China Sea Arbitration Award, and relevant domestic laws.

Marcos asserted that Bajo de Masinloc is an integral part of the Philippines over which the nation exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction.

China's State Council approved the creation of the "Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve" at the shoal in September, a move the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) previously condemned as "illegitimate and unlawful."

The 2016 arbitral award affirmed that China's attempts to restrict Filipino fishers' access to the shoal were unlawful.

The feature itself is located some 120 nautical miles off Zambales and has served as a vital fishing ground for fishing communities there before Beijing seized the feature in 2012.