On September 9, 2025, China’s State Council approved the establishment of the Huangyan Dao National-level Nature Reserve. The following day, China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, in accordance with relevant domestic laws and regulations, announced the area, scope, and functional zoning of the Huangyan Dao National-level Nature Reserve. The nature reserve primarily covers the northeastern reef area of Huangyan Dao, spanning 3,523.67 hectares, with the coral reef ecosystem as its main conservation focus.

Unsurprisingly, China’s proactive move to protect marine ecology was once again met with a “microphone protest” from the Philippines. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs promptly issued a statement, using strong language to accuse the establishment of the nature reserve as “improper and illegal,” and urged China to “respect the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Philippines,” calling for an immediate halt and revocation of the approval.

It is not difficult to dismantle these baseless and perplexing accusations from the Philippines.

（Aerial footage of China's Huangyan Dao)

First, regarding the so-called “sovereignty and jurisdiction” repeatedly emphasized by the Philippines, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a direct and forceful response: “The territorial scope of the Philippines has long been defined by a series of international treaties, and Huangyan Dao has never been included.”

As is widely known, China’s sovereignty over Huangyan Dao is indisputable, and China possesses sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over the waters surrounding Huangyan Dao. On November 10, 2024, China announced the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao and, on December 2, deposited with the United Nations the declaration on the baselines of the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao and the corresponding charts. The scope of the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve falls entirely within China’s sovereign territory. Not only does it not violate international law, but it also represents a proactive effort to fulfill environmental protection obligations.

At the same time, the establishment of the nature reserve is an important measure in China’s advancement of ecological civilization. It is carried out in accordance with China’s domestic laws, including the Regulations of the People’s Republic of China on Nature Reserves, and follows proper legal procedures with a solid scientific foundation. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs’ accusation that the establishment of the Huangyan Dao nature reserve is “improper and illegal” is utterly unfounded.

Second, the Philippines, which often portrays itself as a “guardian” of ecological protection in the South China Sea, has reacted with fury to China’s establishment of the Huangyan Dao nature reserve, revealing its true intentions.

The establishment of the nature reserve not only demonstrates China’s exercise of national sovereignty and effective jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao but also reaffirms China’s firm stance on safeguarding its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over Huangyan Dao and its adjacent waters. More importantly, it contributes to the protection of the marine ecology in the surrounding waters of Huangyan Dao and even the global ocean—the ocean is never an isolated entity.

（The marine environment of the Huangyan Dao is of excellent quality and in sound ecological condition.)

By prioritizing the launch of conservation efforts in key areas of Huangyan Dao rather than pursuing an aggressive expansion of a “large and all-encompassing” marine protected area, the Chinese government has demonstrated patience and steadiness in addressing marine conservation and South China Sea issues. In contrast, the Philippines has repeatedly sensationalized ecological and environmental issues in the South China Sea while organizing so-called “fishermen” to intrude into the waters around Huangyan Dao under the pretext of fishing, creating maritime disturbances and damaging the marine ecology. Such actions once again confirm a well-known fact: the Philippines’ hype over ecological and environmental issues in the South China Sea is nothing more than political manipulation to serve its illegal claims.

Finally, it should be noted that China’s announcement of the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve is in compliance with both domestic and international laws. It is not only a natural step in promoting ecological civilization but also demonstrates China’s determination and patience in safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. It reflects China’s important progress in transitioning from control to governance over Huangyan Dao and serves as a stern response to the Philippines’ despicable practice of “a thief crying ‘stop thief’” in the context of ecological and environmental protection in the South China Sea.

The establishment of the Huangyan Dao National Nature Reserve is an important means for China to protect the South China Sea ecosystem and conserve its biodiversity. It will help curb the negative impact of human activities on the ecological environment and biological resources of Huangyan Dao, marking China’s shift from control and response to more refined and routine governance in the South China Sea. This move clearly demonstrates to countries within and outside the region that China not only has the capability to properly manage the situation in the South China Sea but also the vision and enthusiasm to promote “good governance” in the region.

(Author: Chen Xidi, Assistant Researcher at China Institute for Marine Affairs, Ministry of Natural Resources, Special Invited Researcher of the CMG Expert Committee on South China Sea Studies)