‘Pretext for Occupation’: Philippines Slams China ‘Nature Reserve’ on Scarborough Shoal | EP694

Beijing is causing more mischief in the South China Sea, this time by declaring a “national nature reserve” on Scarborough Shoal. It comes just one month after an almost-certainly fatal crash between China’s navy and coast guard while pursuing a Philippine coast guard vessel in the nearby waters. Could this “nature reserve” be the next step in the militarization of the Shoal? Under what legal authority — if any — is Beijing staking this maritime claim? And how does it respond to a centuries-old Spanish map of the Philippines that appears to clearly depict Scarborough? In this episode, our guests discuss the legitimacy and military implications of China’s latest move. *Recorded on September 12, 2025 at 11:00am Taiwan Standard Time Host: Yin Khvat Our guests: Lai I-chung Prospect Foundation President Chen Ping-kuei National Chengchi University Department of Diplomacy Professor Chapters 00:00:00 - Beijing’s Latest Scarborough Mischief 00:01:30 - China Declares ‘Nature Reserve’ on Shoal 00:08:46 - Beijing’s Disregard for Maritime Law 00:17:51 - Manila’s Centuries-Old Claim #ScarboroughShoal #NatureReserve #SouthChinaSea #WestPhilippineSea #IndoPacific #FerdinandMarcosJr #XiJinping #PeoplesLiberationArmy #PLA #ChineseNavy #PLANavy #ChineseCoastGuard #PLACoastGuard #PhilippineNavy #PhilippineCoastGuard #GrayZone #GrayZoneTactics #9DashLine #NineDashLine #UNCLOS #MaritimeLaw #HighSeas #TerritorialWaters #EEZ #ExclusiveEconomicZone #FishingRights #Fishers #FilipinoFishers #PAMALAYAKA #MaritimeHistory #PhilippineHistory #SpanishHistory #SpanishColonialism #MurilloVelarde #BorderDispute #TerritorialDispute #TaiwanTalks