China approves nature reserve at contested Scarborough Shoal

China has approved the establishment of a nature reserve at the Scarborough Shoal, a disputed territory in the South China Sea, a decision that could escalate tensions with rival claimant the Philippines.

The move comes months after China published a set of geographic coordinates for 16 base points around the feature, which it calls Huangyan Island and is known as the Panatag Shoal in the Philippines.

Beijing has controlled the sea feature since a stand-off with the Philippines in 2012.

The State Council said the establishment of the national nature reserve is “an important measure to preserve the diversity, stability and sustainability of the island’s natural ecosystem”.

In a statement to the Ministry of Natural Resources, it said relevant authorities “should hold a strong commitment to ecological and environmental protection responsibilities”.

“Enforcement efforts against illegal activities related to the nature reserve should be strengthened,” it said.