China's coast guard holds National Day celebrations at disputed shoal claimed by Philippines

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BANGKOK (AP) — China's coast guard on Wednesday raised the country's red and yellow flag to celebrate its National Day in the waters near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, shortly after declaring the area a nature reserve.

In a video posted by state-owned media outlet Global Times on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, Chinese coast guard members are seen taking part in a flag-raising ceremony aboard a ship and saluting the flag.

The crew was “carrying out routine control duties ... on the front lines in protecting the seas,” Global Times reported.

China approved the establishment of a national nature reserve at the disputed Scarborough Shoal in September, drawing fierce protest from the Philippines.

Experts say China’s establishment of a nature reserve in the area is a territorial move rather than an environmental one, designed to bolster its claims of sovereignty.

While a 2016 international arbitration ruling invalidated Beijing’s expansive territorial claims on historic grounds, China has forged ahead with its claims over the islets and waters of the South China Sea. In recent years, it has engaged in frequent showdowns with Philippine vessels, particularly at Scarborough Shoal, which China calls Huangyan Dao.