US Rejects China Nature Reserve Plan in Sea Near Philippines

The U.S. has rejected China's plan to establish a national nature reserve at Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, a move that the U.S. has deemed "destabilizing." The Scarborough Shoal is a disputed territory between China and the Philippines, and the U.S. has sided with the Philippines in this matter. The U.S. State Department has stated that China's unilateral move to create a nature reserve in the area would only serve to "further destabilize the region." The U.S. has also called on China to respect the Philippines' sovereignty and maritime rights in the region. This latest development is part of the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea, where multiple countries, including China, the Philippines, and the U.S., have overlapping claims. The U.S. has consistently backed its regional allies, such as the Philippines, in these disputes, in an effort to maintain the balance of power in the region.