Tensions Surge: Philippines Refutes Chinese Naval Claims in Scarborough Shoal Dispute

The Philippines has disputed China's assertion that its military expelled a Philippine naval vessel from the contested Scarborough Shoal. The incident adds to the escalating tensions in the South China Sea, with both nations asserting sovereignty over the atoll and other countries' claims overlapping in the region.

A Philippine naval official has countered Chinese claims of expelling a Philippine ship from the disputed Scarborough Shoal. West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad indicated that China's version, presented as a defense against alleged intrusion, is merely misinformation aimed at Beijing's local audience, according to the Philippine News Agency.

Reacting to China's stance, Admiral Trinidad asserted that only Philippine maritime forces hold the jurisdiction to address foreign nautical advances within its maritime boundaries. China accused the Apolinario Mabini vessel of unauthorized entry into the waters of Huangyan Dao, as articulated by Senior Captain Zhao Zhiwei of the Chinese military's Southern Theater Command.

This latest exchange underscores the ongoing friction over the Scarborough Shoal, an atoll located 125 nautical miles off the coast of Luzon. Long claimed by the Philippines as within its exclusive economic zone, the area remains under Chinese control, part of its larger South China Sea claim, which conflicts with regional neighbors' interests.

(With inputs from agencies.)