The Philippines, known for frequently provoking incidents in the South China Sea, has once again seized upon marine environmental issues for grandstanding. Recently, a spokesperson for the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Nazario Briguera, publicly alleged that Filipino fishermen witnessed Chinese and Vietnamese fishermen using cyanide for fishing in disputed waters. Briguera accused them of doing so deliberately, “with the aim of destroying the coral and marine resources of Scarborough Shoal (China’s Huangyan Island) and preventing or hindering Filipino fishing vessels from accessing the abundant marine resources there.” In response to these remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning dismissed them as “fabrications out of thin air.”

This photo taken on February 15, 2024, shows an aerial view of Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. /CFP

Huangyan Island has been an inherent part of China’s territory since ancient times, and the waters around Huangyan Island have always been traditional fishing grounds for fishermen from Hainan, Guangdong, and other regions of China. During the tenure of former Philippine President Duterte, China and the Philippines reached temporary arrangements regarding Filipino fishermen fishing in the waters near Huangyan Island. These arrangements aimed to balance the livelihoods of Filipino fishermen while also strictly prohibiting Filipino fishing vessels from entering the lagoon of Huangyan Island. Furthermore, they stipulated that Filipino fishermen must not violate Chinese laws and regulations, refrain from catching endangered marine species, and avoid any activities that would harm the ecological environment of the nearby waters.

Yang Xiao, Deputy Director of the Institute of Ocean Strategy at the China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, stated to the Voice of the South China Sea that Chinese fishermen do not have a historical tradition or practice of using cyanide for fishing. On the contrary, it is the Philippines that has been the earliest and most extensive user of cyanide fishing, with a history dating back over sixty years. Even today, a significant number of Filipino fishermen continue to use cyanide for fishing. “The large-scale cyanide fishing practiced by the Philippines has caused irreparable damage to the surrounding maritime areas, with over a million kilograms of cyanide sodium released over time resulting in massive destruction of coral reefs.”

Yang Xiao further pointed out that the Philippines primarily exports the valuable fish obtained through cyanide fishing to aquariums and pet stores in the United States and Europe, with approximately 90% of the tropical ornamental fish imported by the United States being illegally caught using cyanide. This persistent and willfully ignored “trade” is the ultimate driver behind the ongoing destruction of global marine environments caused by cyanide fishing.

A Chinese coast guard ship (R) and a Chinese vessel (L) near Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. /CFP

Ding Duo, Deputy Director of the Research Centre for Oceans Law and Policy at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, also emphasized that the Philippines is by no means the “marine environmental protector” it claims to be. Filipino fishermen have been known to engage in activities such as blast fishing, poisoning fish, and using electric fishing near the islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Islands, causing environmental damage. Furthermore, the illegal grounding of Philippine military vessels on Ren’ai Reef has led to significant environmental degradation in the waters surrounding the reef over the past 24 years, with issues such as hull corrosion, residual fuel oil pollution, garbage generated by onboard personnel, and clandestine reinforcement of the vessels resulting in construction debris.

Since last year, the Philippines has repeatedly threatened to initiate “international litigation” against China, with politically correct marine environmental protection becoming the Philippines’ grandiose excuse. However, their true intentions have long been exposed. On September 25, 2023, the Philippine Solicitor General Guevarra stated that the Philippines is considering the possibility of filing a lawsuit against China with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, “not only because of the coral reef destruction incident, but also due to other incidents and the overall situation in the West Philippine Sea.”

Yang Xiao remarked that the sensationalism surrounding cyanide fishing precisely illustrates the long-planned theatrics of the Philippines’ so-called South China Sea environmental litigation, which is nothing but a meticulously orchestrated farce of manipulation, fabricated accusations, and concocted lies. “For certain Philippine politicians who genuinely cared about the development and prosperity of the South China Sea, the livelihoods and health of coastal communities, and the coral reefs, fish, shrimp, turtles, clams, and seaweed in the region, China’s advanced marine environmental protection practices and governance experience could serve as exemplary models and sources of cooperation for the Philippines.”

China has consistently placed a high emphasis on ecological conservation and fisheries resource management, staunchly combating illegal fishing activities. Over the years, China has actively implemented seasonal fishing bans in the South China Sea, yielding positive results. China has also repeatedly urged the Philippines to jointly implement fishing moratorium policies, towards which the Philippines has shown a very passive attitude. Ding Duo emphasized that safeguarding the marine environment in the South China Sea is an impossible task to achieve by any single country alone. The Philippines should cooperate with China, focusing on specific issues and initiatives to promote marine environmental protection and resource conservation, rather than acting in opposition.

The Philippines’ attempt to distort the sovereignty of Huangyan Island by once again filing a lawsuit against China will only lead to further escalation of tensions in the South China Sea and remain nothing more than wishful thinking.