October 1, 2025 — Canada is standing with the Philippines against China in a diplomatic row over a chain of reefs and rocks in the South China Sea.
The recent dispute resulted from Beijing’s declaration on September 10, 2025 that it is designating Scarborough Shoal as a “national nature reserve”.
Known to the Philippines as Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc, the triangle-shaped formation is located 124 nautical miles off the town of Masinloc in the Philippine province of Zambales.
Called Huangyan Island by China, the shoal is within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982.
In 2012, China seized Scarborough Shoal following a standoff with the Philippines.
Through its embassy in the Philippines, Canada made known its position in a post on September 13 on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“Canada recognizes the rights of states in the region, including the Philippines, to exercise sovereign rights and jurisdiction within their exclusive economic zones in accordance with international law,” the Canadian embassy stated.
The embassy noted that Canada “recognizes the importance of protecting maritime ecosystems in the South China Sea”.
However, “We oppose attempts to use environmental protection as a way to take control over the disputed Scarborough Shoal.”
The shoal is one of many formations in the South China Sea that are contested by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei.
China claims almost the entirety of the South China Sea based on its so-called “nine-dash line” demarcating its maritime claim.
However, in a July 12, 2016 ruling, an international court of arbitration, which was constituted under UNCLOS, invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim as having no legal basis.
To mark the ninth anniversary of the ruling, Global Affairs Canada on July 11, 2025 issued a statement affirming Ottawa’s “unwavering commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific”.
Canada also chastised China for its aggressive behaviour against other claimant nations.
“China’s coercive and dangerous actions against Philippine and Vietnamese vessels -- including the use of water cannons, dangerous maneuvers, ramming, forcible towing, and the unlawful boarding of vessels -- endanger the safety of seafarers and seriously degrade regional peace and security,” Global Affairs Canada stated.
Canada said it welcomes ongoing efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes the Philippines, to develop an “effective and substantive code of conduct for the South China Sea”.
“An agreement on a common way forward is essential to set conditions for effective, responsible, collaborative management of maritime resources, maintenance of maritime safety, and preservation of marine biodiversity,” Canada also said.
China’s State Council on September 10, 2025 announced that the shoal, which it calls Huangyan Island, would become a “national nature reserve” to serve as an “important guarantee for maintaining the diversity, stability and sustainability of the natural ecosystem” of the site.
The Philippine government has protested the declaration and asserted that Scarborough Shoal is part of its territory.
The U.S. has also rejected Beijing’s plan to establish a nature reserve at the shoal.
China’s move followed joint military exercises in the South China Sea by the Philippines, U.S., Australia and Canada.
Naval drills were held on September 2 and September 3 off Zambales, which faces Scarborough Shoal.
Participants included the Philippine frigate BRP Jose Rizal, Australian destroyer HMAS Brisbane, Canadian frigate HMCS Ville de Quebec, and a U.S. maritime patrol aircraft.
Air and naval drills were also held on August 27 off Scarborough Shoal by the Philippines, Australia, and Canada.
The Philippine BRP Jose Rizal, Australian warship HMAS Brisbane, and the Canadian Navy’s HMCS Ville de Quebec participated in the said exercises last August.
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