Coral reefs at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea are healthy and resilient to climate change, but growing thermal stress poses a potential bleaching risk, according to a Chinese environmental assessment.
The report rated the atoll’s maritime environment as excellent, with no signs of cyanide in seawater, sediment or fish samples.
Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines, is claimed by both countries, and Manila has accused Chinese crews of using cyanide to catch fish in the area.
The report was released on Friday and was conducted by various agencies led by the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment.
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China has held de facto control over Scarborough Shoal since a naval stand-off in 2012 and has steadily increased its presence in the area in the years since.
In September, Beijing approved a plan to designate the shoal as a nature reserve, prompting a strong protest from Manila, which said that it “has the exclusive authority to establish environmental protection areas over its territory and relevant maritime zones”.
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In its report on Friday, the Chinese ministry led off with the sovereignty issue.
“Huangyan Island, also known as Scarborough Shoal, is part of the Zhongsha Islands and is an inherent territory of our country,” it said in its first line.