US Ambassador Condemns China’s Aggressive Actions at Scarborough Shoal

United States Ambassador to the Philippines, MaryKay Carlson, has strongly denounced China’s recent hostile maneuvers against Philippine vessels at Scarborough Shoal, also known locally as Bajo de Masinloc.

In a statement posted on X, Ambassador Carlson voiced her concern over China’s confrontational behavior, which led to an injury sustained by an official from the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

"We commend the Philippine government and the Philippine Coast Guard for their professional exercise of sovereign rights, their protection of Filipino fisherfolk, and their commitment to maritime law in support of a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific," she said.

The Philippine Coast Guard confirmed that on September 16, tensions escalated when two vessels from the China Coast Guard used water cannons against a BFAR ship near Scarborough Shoal.

This incident follows earlier expressions of support for Philippine sovereignty over the contested area by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, and Australia, particularly condemning China’s unilateral creation of a "nature reserve" in the disputed waters.

On September 13, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs officially lodged a diplomatic protest in response to China’s establishment of the "Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve" at Scarborough Shoal.

The ongoing disputes highlight the fragile security situation in the West Philippine Sea and the complexities surrounding territorial claims in the region.