On October 1, 2025, as much of China celebrated its National Day with parades and fireworks, the Chinese coast guard marked the occasion in a very different—and much more contentious—way out at sea. Aboard a patrol vessel anchored near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed atoll in the South China Sea, officers in crisp formation saluted as the red and yellow flag of China was hoisted skyward. The ceremony, captured in a video posted by the state-owned Global Times on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, was more than a simple patriotic gesture. It was a pointed message about sovereignty, control, and the ongoing tensions between China and the Philippines over one of the world’s most hotly contested maritime features.
According to Global Times, the coast guard crew was “carrying out routine control duties ... on the front lines in protecting the seas.” The event was not merely ceremonial; it came on the heels of China’s recent declaration of the area as a national nature reserve in September, a move that has drawn furious protest from Manila. The Philippines, which also claims Scarborough Shoal—known locally as Panatag Shoal and to China as Huangyan Dao—has little practical control over the area, but plenty of stake in its future.
The symbolic flag-raising was, by all accounts, a deliberate assertion of China’s sovereignty claims. As reported by China Global South and other outlets, the ceremony coincided with National Day celebrations across the country, but its location and timing sent a clear message. The shoal, a triangle of rocks and reefs about 120 nautical miles west of the Philippine island of Luzon, has been under Chinese control since 2012, following a tense standoff that saw Beijing deploy coast guard and fishing vessels to the area. Since then, the shoal has become a flashpoint, with both sides trading accusations of trespassing and provocation.
China’s recent moves have only heightened the stakes. In September, Beijing approved the establishment of a national nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal, a decision Philippine officials denounced as a thinly veiled territorial grab. Experts agree: while the language of conservation is used, the underlying intent is to reinforce China’s claim of sovereignty. The timing of the declaration, just weeks before the National Day flag-raising, underscores the political symbolism at play.
“The establishment of a nature reserve in the area is a territorial move rather than an environmental one, designed to bolster its claims of sovereignty,” one expert told the Associated Press. The Philippines, for its part, responded with swift and vocal protest, insisting on its sovereign rights under international law.
The legal backdrop to this dispute is complex and fraught with historical grievances. In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, declaring China’s blockade of the shoal unlawful and invalidating Beijing’s expansive territorial claims based on so-called “historic rights.” However, the tribunal stopped short of deciding on the question of ultimate sovereignty. China, meanwhile, has ignored the ruling and doubled down on its presence in the area, deploying coast guard ships, fishing fleets, and, more recently, ramping up law enforcement and military patrols.
According to Daily Times, the Chinese Coast Guard confirmed that law enforcement inspections around Scarborough Shoal had intensified in September, with the stated aim of blocking “illegal entry” of foreign vessels. The Southern Theatre Command of China’s military also reported that both naval and air forces had increased patrols around the atoll, pledging swift responses to any perceived provocations. These developments, the paper notes, “demonstrate China’s determination to cement its grip on the contested waters.”
Incidents in the area have not been limited to diplomatic protests or symbolic gestures. In recent years, there have been numerous reports of aggressive tactics by Chinese vessels, including the use of water cannons, ramming of Philippine boats, and dangerously close maneuvers. Philippine officials have repeatedly called such actions “unlawful and unsafe,” while China has accused the Philippines of deliberate provocations. Despite these flare-ups, both nations have so far managed to avoid open military conflict, but the risk of escalation is never far from the surface.
The flag-raising event on October 1 was heavy with symbolism, but it was also a practical demonstration of control. “The Chinese coast guard vowed to ‘stand guard’ over the disputed atoll,” Daily Times reported, highlighting Beijing’s intent to maintain dominance in the strategic waterway. The South China Sea is a vital artery for global trade, and Scarborough Shoal sits near key shipping lanes, making its fate a matter of international concern.
For the Philippines, the ceremony was yet another reminder of its limited leverage in the face of China’s growing maritime power. Manila has continued to file diplomatic protests and appeal to international law, but with little effect on the ground. The 2016 tribunal ruling, while a moral victory, has not translated into practical gains. China’s ships remain firmly in place, and its flag now flies over the shoal—at least for now.
Observers warn that the situation remains volatile. Each new incident, whether a flag-raising or a water cannon blast, tests the fragile balance in the South China Sea. Diplomatic relations between Beijing and Manila are perennially strained, and while both sides have so far managed to avoid outright conflict, the risk of miscalculation looms large.
For now, the scene at Scarborough Shoal—Chinese officers saluting their flag against the backdrop of contested waters—encapsulates the broader struggle for control in the South China Sea. The questions raised by this latest show of force are not likely to be resolved anytime soon. As both nations mark their own milestones and anniversaries, the world watches, hoping that the next chapter does not bring confrontation but, perhaps, a step toward peaceful resolution.
Yet, with each new flag raised and each new protest lodged, the dispute over Scarborough Shoal remains a stark symbol of the challenges facing the region—a reminder that, sometimes, the most important battles are fought not with bullets, but with symbols, ceremonies, and the steady assertion of presence.
