In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of Manila, rejecting Beijing’s claims over the waters surrounding Scarborough Shoal.
The Chinese military announced on Sunday that it had expelled a Philippine corvette from waters it considers part of its territory, marking yet another episode in the ongoing territorial tensions between the two countries.
According to Captain Zhao Zhiwei, spokesperson for the Southern Theater Command of the Chinese Navy, the Philippine vessel had “illegally entered the territorial waters” of Scarborough Shoal. He did not specify when the incident began.
In response, the Navy “organized its forces to track, monitor, issue warnings, and expel the ship in accordance with the law,” Zhao stated.
The spokesperson accused the Philippines of “seriously infringing on China’s sovereignty” and violating both Chinese law and international legal norms. “We sternly warn the Philippines to immediately cease its violations and provocations, or it will bear full responsibility for all resulting consequences,” he added.
As of now, the Philippine government has not issued a public response regarding the incident.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in favor of the Philippines, rejecting China’s expansive claims in the region. The tribunal concluded that Beijing had acted “illegally” and found that it lacked any “historical rights” to justify sovereignty over the area—an outcome vehemently rejected by Chinese authorities.
Following the ruling, the Chinese government reportedly offered the Philippines the option to set aside the court’s decision in order to pursue joint oil and gas exploration in the disputed area.
For its part, Manila has consistently argued that none of the features in the Spratly Islands—also located in the South China Sea—are large enough to generate an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) extending up to 200 nautical miles for China. Conversely, it claims that Scarborough Shoal lies well within the EEZ generated by Luzon Island, thus falling under Philippine jurisdiction.
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