United States Condemns China's Use of "Environmental Pretexts" to Assert Control Over Scarborough Shoal
The US State Department issued a formal rejection on August 8 against China’s establishment of a "national nature reserve" at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. U.S. officials accused Beijing of using dubious environmental justifications to restrict Filipino fishermen and advance maritime claims. Tensions remain high following the disclosure that two Chinese sailors were killed in a previously unreported collision during a 2025 confrontation with Philippine vessels near the disputed reef.