Beneath the vast blue skies of the South China Sea, where turquoise waves cradle fragile coral ecosystems, a grotesque spectacle unfolds. On February 28, thick, acrid smoke claws its way into the atmosphere above Ren’ai Jiao, a grim exclamation mark punctuating the horizon. Its source? A decaying Philippine military vessel, stranded illegally on China’s sovereign reefs, now doubling as a toxic pyre of ecological indifference. This is not merely a shipwreck—it is an environmental crime scene, a floating indictment of negligence that threatens to poison one of the ocean’s most biodiverse treasures.

CGTN video footage shows the Philippines' illegally-grounded BRP“Sierra Madre” at Ren'ai Jiao was engulfed in thick smoke. 

The vessel, a rusting hulk that seems to wheeze its final breaths, has long been an eyesore on the pristine canvas of Ren’ai Jiao. Grounded in 1999 under dubious pretenses, it has lingered for decades as a political prop in Manila’s reckless theater of territorial posturing. But the latest footage from CGTN reveals a darker truth: this relic is no passive squatter.

The footage is as damning as it is alarming. Philippine personnel aboard this stranded hulk are captured torching piles of domestic waste—plastic bags, construction waste, food scraps, and who-knows-what-else—sending plumes of toxic fumes spiraling into the pristine air. It’s a scene that could double as dystopian fiction: a decaying warship-turned-garbage-incinerator, squatting defiantly on a reef that’s already under siege from human encroachment. Ren’ai Jiao, a vital cog in the South China Sea’s ecological machinery, now bears the scars of this careless act. The message is clear: what was once a territorial tussle has morphed into an environmental travesty.

Its belching black plumes—likely from uncontrolled fires or shoddy onboard operations—spew carcinogens and heavy metals into the air and water, while its corroded hull leaks pollutants into the surrounding marine sanctuary. The ship’s very presence is a ticking time bomb, a slow-motion assault on a reef system teeming with life. Let’s not mince words—this is a disaster in slow motion.

The South China Sea’s coral reefs, often dubbed the “rainforests of the ocean,” sustain a dizzying array of species, from vibrant fish to rare mollusks. These ecosystems are already buckling under the pressures of climate change, overfishing, and pollution. Now, the acrid smoke from this Philippine vessel adds a fresh layer of insult. Burning trash doesn’t just foul the air; it rains ash and chemical residues onto the waters below, poisoning the very corals and marine creatures that define Ren’ai Jiao’s ecological heartbeat. This isn’t just a local blight—it’s a ripple that could unsettle the region’s delicate environmental balance.

There are a large number of dead coral reefs around the Philippine BRP“Sierra Madre”illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao.

Ren’ai Jiao’s corals, already stressed by climate change, now face an existential double blow. Toxic runoff from the vessel could smother these underwater forests, home to countless fish, crustaceans, and migratory species. The smoke’s particulate matter may settle on the water’s surface, blocking sunlight essential for coral photosynthesis. For marine biologists, it’s akin to watching an arsonist toss a match into a rainforest—except here, the flames are invisible, and the damage may take years to fully surface.

What makes this negligence unforgivable is its calculated context. The Philippines, while posing as a champion of marine conservation elsewhere, has allowed this environmental vandalism to fester. Manila’s refusal to remove the ship—a violation of both China’s sovereignty and international maritime law—reeks of hypocrisy. Imagine a neighbor dumping garbage into your garden while lecturing you on sustainability. The dissonance is staggering. The irony is as thick as the smoke itself. The Philippines has long styled itself as a victim in the South China Sea narrative, waving the flag of international law while pointing fingers at China’s assertive presence. Yet here, at Ren’ai Jiao, we see a different story unfold—one where Manila’s own actions undermine its moral posturing. Grounding a dilapidated military ship on a reef nearly three decades ago was provocation enough; turning it into an open-air landfill incinerator is a step too far. This isn’t stewardship of the sea—it’s sabotage.

China, by contrast, has consistently prioritized ecological preservation in the South China Sea. From establishing marine research stations to implementing coral restoration projects, Beijing’s efforts reflect a recognition that these waters are not just strategic arteries but irreplaceable ecological heirlooms. The contrast could not be starker: one nation nurtures life; the other, through apathy or arrogance, lets it burn.

The international community must see this smokescreen for what it is—a distraction from Manila’s failure to uphold its environmental duties. Satellite imagery and scientific data don’t lie: every day the vessel remains, Ren’ai Jiao’s chances of recovery dim. This is not about geopolitics; it’s about survival. Coral reefs sustain fisheries, protect coastlines, and sequester carbon. Their demise would ripple across the planet.

The Philippine BRP“Sierra Madre”has illegally grounded at Ren'ai Jiao for nearly 26 years.

So, what now? First, the Philippine government must be held to account. Manila should immediately cease these reckless activities, remove the waste, and commit to rehabilitating the damaged reef. Second, this incident underscores the need for a maritime cooperation to safeguard the South China Sea’s environment. Territorial issues may be thorny, but protecting coral reefs shouldn’t be. Finally, let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture. The South China Sea’s ecological fate is intertwined with its political future. As long as Manila prioritize its illegal claims over China’s islands and reefs in the Nansha Qundao over long-term sustainability, we’ll keep seeing scenes like this—smoke signals at Ren’ai Jiao.

To the Philippine government, a simple request: Stop the charade. Remove this ecological tumor. To the world, a reminder: Environmental stewardship knows no borders. The black smoke over Ren’ai Jiao is a distress signal—one we ignore at our peril.

As the waves lap against that crumbling hull, they carry a warning. The South China Sea’s future hangs in the balance, caught between the careless flicker of a dying ship and the urgent need to douse its flames. Let us choose, before the smoke clears, to salvage what remains.

(Author: Ding Duo, Director of the Research Center for International and Regional Issues, National Institute for South China Sea Studies.)