Explosive Revelation: China's Provocative Move Infuriates the Philippines in the South China Sea Dispute

The Philippines censured the Chinese coast guard on Sunday for erecting a "floating barrier" in a contested region of the South China Sea, contending that it impeded Filipino boats from entering and fishing in the area.

According to the Philippine coast guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela, the floating barrier was spotted by Philippine vessels during a regular maritime patrol on Friday. He stated on X (formerly known as Twitter) that the barrier extended approximately 300 meters (984 feet).

The Philippine Coast Guard released video exposing the severe damage on marine environment and coral reef in the seabed of Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal in the South China Sea.

Philippine Coast Guard/Facebook

The Philippines accuses China's shadowy maritime militia of destroying coral reefs in South China Sea

The installation of a floating barrier in the Southeast portion of Bajo de Masinloc by the China coast guard has been strongly condemned by the Philippine coast guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. This prevents Filipino fishing boats from accessing the shoal and deprives them of their fishing and livelihood activities. Tarriela, who shared photos of the alleged floating barrier, reported that three Chinese coast guard boats and a Chinese maritime militia service boat installed it after a Philippine government vessel arrived in the area.

The area has been greatly affected by the destructive actions of China, as evidenced by the Philippine coast guard's recent sharing of footage showing extensive stretches of fractured and discolored coral.

The Philippine Coast Guard recently shared a video showcasing the extensive harm caused to the marine environment and coral reef in the seabed of Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal, located in the South China Sea.

China's covert maritime militia is being implicated by the Philippines for its role in the detrimental destruction of coral reefs in the South China Sea. In a statement, Tarriela expressed concern over the relentless presence of the Chinese maritime militia, engaging in unlawful and harmful fishing practices at Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal. These activities are believed to have directly contributed to the degradation and devastation of the marine ecosystem within the areas designated as the West Philippine Sea by Manila.

Tarriela suggested that the presence of crushed corals indicates a likely case of dumping, perhaps involving the same dead corals that were previously treated and reintroduced to the seabed. In response to inquiries regarding the coral destruction, China's foreign ministry, during a routine briefing on Thursday, dismissed the accusations as "false and baseless."

Spokesperson Mao Ning cautioned the Philippine authorities against utilizing false information to orchestrate a political spectacle, as reported by the statement. The statement also highlighted that, according to Filipino fishermen, Chinese vessels typically deploy floating barriers when monitoring a significant number of Filipino fishermen in the region.

China has not yet publicly commented.

CNN is seeking a response from Chinas Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Among the disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea, there is Bajo de Masinloc, also known as the Scarborough Shoal. This strategic and fertile fishing ground is located 130 miles (200 kilometers) west of Luzon, the Philippine island. China refers to it as Huangyandao.