The South China Sea is a strategically important and resource-rich
area in Asia. Around half of the world's merchant fleets pass through
every year carrying an estimated $5 trillion worth of trade. The area is
also believed to contain valuable oil and gas deposits.
And ownership is hotly contested. There are ongoing territorial disputes between Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and China. One of the most well-known is the Spratly Islands' hydrocarbon deposits valued at $26.3 trillion.
The latest tension is at the Scarborough Shoal, a small cluster of
uninhabitable islands which lies about 220km off the coast of the
Philippines and falls under its exclusive economic zone according to
international maritime law. But China also claims ownership despite its
nearest coastline being 900km away. The Scarborough Shoal has valuable
resources including fishing, shipping routes and potentially enormous
oil and gas deposits.
In early April, the Philippines' naval forces intercepted eight Chinese fishing vessels in the Scarborough Shoal. They found large numbers of illegally-fished turtles, baby sharks, clams and corals on board. They tried to arrest the poachers but were stopped by the arrival of two Chinese maritime ships leading to a two-month standoff.
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And ownership is hotly contested. There are ongoing territorial disputes between Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines and China. One of the most well-known is the Spratly Islands' hydrocarbon deposits valued at $26.3 trillion.
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In early April, the Philippines' naval forces intercepted eight Chinese fishing vessels in the Scarborough Shoal. They found large numbers of illegally-fished turtles, baby sharks, clams and corals on board. They tried to arrest the poachers but were stopped by the arrival of two Chinese maritime ships leading to a two-month standoff.
Read More.............................
That is the reason why China is claiming Scarborough shoal. They want to get its natural resources so they will be the one to have its benefits. They will do anything to get even though they don't have a strong evidence.
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