U.S. Condemns China‘s South China Sea Reserve Plan, Backs Philippines’ Protest
WASHINGTON D.C. – September 13, 2025 – The United States has firmly rejected China’s recent move to establish a national natural reserve at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, a move contested by the Philippines. The decision by Beijing, approved Friday by the State Council of the PRC following a proposal from the Ministry of Natural Resources, has drawn sharp criticism from Washington and a formal diplomatic protest from Manila.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated Friday that China’s actions represent “another forced attempt to advance excessive territorial and sea claims in the South China Sea at the expense of neighbors,” and that thes steps “continue to undermine regional stability.”
The Philippines, which also claims the reef – known as Juanyan Island by China – filed an official protest, with a Foreign Ministry representative, Escalon, calling it “a decisive and unambiguous expression of the Filippinos’ objections against the actions of China.”
The dispute centers on China’s continued insistence on its expansive claims to resources in the South China Sea, despite a 2016 ruling by an international tribunal deeming those claims illegal. Rubio emphasized the U.S. is urging China to abide by the tribunal’s decision and cease interference with Philippine fishermen in the Scarborough Shoal area.
