China’s coastguards said they were ready to uphold the country’s sovereignty in the disputed Scarborough Shoal, in a message broadcast by state broadcaster CCTV on National Day.
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The country has a long-running dispute with the Philippines over the reef and other areas of the South China Sea, and Wednesday’s report said the coastguards had resumed “regular patrols” in the area for the next 50 days.
Coastguard officer Chen Zhijie told CCTV that protecting the disputed island was his “sacred duty and glorious mission”, pledging to “perform our duties conscientiously and contribute our utmost to protecting our country’s territorial sovereignty”.
Last month, Beijing announced plans for a nature reserve on Scarborough Shoal, saying it would help “preserve the diversity, stability and sustainability of the island’s natural ecosystem”.
The Ministry of Natural Resources also said that “enforcement efforts against illegal activities related to the nature reserve should be strengthened”.
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The Philippines condemned the move as “illegitimate and unlawful” and said Scarborough Shoal was a “long-standing and integral part of the Philippines”.
Beijing has overlapping claims with Manila in the South China Sea, and heightened tensions between the two countries have led to a series of clashes between their respective coastguards in the resource-rich waterway in recent years.
