China Approves Marine Environmental Observation Station in Zhongsha Islands
China has approved the construction of a marine environmental observation station in the Zhongsha Islands, covering an area that includes the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.
The Zhongsha Islands Marine Ecological and Environmental Field Observation and Research Station was proposed by the South China Sea Institute of Oceanology (SCSIO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and received approval on July 31, according to the SCSIO.
The institute said the approval reflects the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ commitment to “leveraging science and technology to support the national strategy in the South China Sea.”
According to the SCSIO, the planned station will “fill a key gap” in marine monitoring in the Zhongsha Islands. It will complement China’s existing observation stations in the Paracel and Spratly islands, known as the Xisha and Nansha islands in Chinese, and contribute to an ecological observation network across the South China Sea.
The Zhongsha Islands are a group of reefs and atolls in the central South China Sea. The area, partly associated with what is internationally known as Macclesfield Bank, includes Scarborough Shoal, known as Huangyan Island in China and Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the Philippines.
The area features distinctive geological formations, diverse coral reef ecosystems and dynamic oceanographic conditions influenced by currents and severe storms. These characteristics make marine observation and ecological research an important part of understanding the region’s environmental conditions.
The new station will establish a three-dimensional, multilayered marine observation network featuring “sea-based dual-core and land-based logistics.” According to the SCSIO, the network will provide data on ocean conditions, ecology, geology and fishery resources.
The institute said it is continuing scientific research and ecological monitoring in the Zhongsha Islands “to implement national priorities, complete national missions and support the sustainable development of the South China Sea.”
Expanded Marine Monitoring and Research
The station will strengthen China’s marine observation capabilities in the Zhongsha Islands while complementing existing facilities in the Paracel and Spratly islands.
The development also follows China’s recent environmental and biodiversity measures concerning Scarborough Shoal. Earlier this month, Beijing issued an administrative regulation on biodiversity and ecological protection near the shoal, which China designated a “national nature reserve” last year.
On August 1, China issued regulations for managing the national nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal. The rules address illegal fishing and poaching, environmental protection and regular patrols.
The United States on August 8 rejected China’s establishment of the nature reserve and raised concerns regarding Filipino fishermen’s access to traditional fishing grounds. The US embassy in the Philippines also launched a community reporting centre on Palawan to collect reports from local fishermen concerning suspected illegal fishing and unusual vessel activities in the South China Sea.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian said Beijing would “monitor the situation closely.” He also said China does not object to normal cooperation between the United States and the Philippines, provided such cooperation is not targeted at or harmful to the interests of any third party.
China claims sovereignty over most islands and rock features in the South China Sea, with some claims overlapping those of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. In 2012, China took control of Scarborough Shoal and released its own baselines for the territorial sea around the shoal in 2024.
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The establishment of the Zhongsha Islands marine observation station adds to China’s broader network of scientific and ecological monitoring facilities in the South China Sea, with the stated focus on collecting marine environmental, geological and fisheries data and supporting sustainable development.
