The Philippines' foreign ministry has undertaken diplomatic action against China following the discovery of an unauthorized floating structure at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The structure, measuring 6 by 6 meters and featuring an antenna, appeared to be manned and was spotted at the entrance to the shoal and inside its lagoon. Manila has described the presence as illegal and has urged China to remove the installation, stating that it violates Philippine sovereignty and obligations under a regional declaration on conduct.
Philippine officials expressed concern that the deployment could be part of an effort by Beijing to transform the uninhabited atoll into an island base. Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro noted he had received raw information regarding the structure on May 30, and while satellite images from June 5 confirmed its presence, later images showed it was no longer there. The Philippine government stated it will continue to take actions consistent with international law to defend its national interests and jurisdiction.
China's foreign ministry has rejected these claims, asserting its indisputable sovereignty over the shoal and stating that its activities, including scientific research, are legitimate. Scarborough Shoal, located 200 kilometers off the western coast of the Philippines and 874 kilometers from China's Hainan, has seen a constant deployment of Chinese coastguard and maritime militia ships since 2012.
While sovereignty over the area remains contested, a 2016 arbitral tribunal ruled largely in favor of the Philippines, concluding that China's blockade of the shoal violated international law and that the area served as a traditional fishing ground for several countries. The Philippine task force continues to monitor developments and assess the nature and potential implications of the installation.