China to build marine observation station near disputed Scarborough Shoal

China has greenlit the construction of a marine environmental observation station in an area encompassing the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a persistent source of tension with the Philippines in the South China Sea.

The Zhongsha Islands Marine Ecological and Environmental Field Observation and Research Station, proposed by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, received approval on July 31. The SCSIO stated that the project reflects the academy's commitment to "leveraging science and technology to support the national strategy in the South China Sea."

“

leveraging science and technology to support the national strategy in the South China Sea

According to the SCSIO, the planned station will address a significant gap in marine monitoring within the Zhongsha Islands. It will complement the institute's existing facilities in the Paracel and Spratly Islands, known in Chinese as Xisha and Nansha, respectively. The initiative aims to establish a comprehensive ecological observation network covering the entire South China Sea.

The Zhongsha Islands, referred to as such by China, comprise reefs and atolls in the central South China Sea. This region includes Scarborough Shoal, a flashpoint contested by Beijing and Manila, and is partly associated with Macclesfield Bank. Earlier this month, Beijing introduced an administrative regulation for biodiversity and ecological protection near Scarborough Shoal, which China calls Huangyan Island. The disputed atoll was designated a "national nature reserve" by Beijing last year.

“

fill a key gap