Overview

• The Chinese Coast Guard held a National Day ceremony on patrol vessel Dahao (3304) off the reef, posting footage of officers saluting as the flag was raised.
• State media quoted an officer calling protection of the shoal a “sacred duty,” and reported regular patrols had resumed for the next 50 days.
• The Coast Guard said inspections have intensified since September to expel “illegal” vessels, while the PLA’s Southern Theatre Command reported strengthened naval and air patrols.
• Beijing last month announced a nature reserve for the area and urged stricter enforcement, which the Philippines condemned as “illegitimate and unlawful.”
• Scarborough Shoal has been under Beijing’s effective control since 2012 despite overlapping claims, with a 2016 ruling backing Manila’s maritime rights as low‑level confrontations persist without open conflict.