China’s Proposal to Establish “Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve” Receives Support from the United States

China’s government announced on Wednesday (10th) that it has approved the establishment of a national-level nature reserve on Huangyan Island in the disputed South China Sea, seen as Beijing’s latest effort to strengthen its sovereignty claims and maritime interests in the region. The State Council stated in its approval that ‘establishing the Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve is a key guarantee for safeguarding the natural ecological diversity, stability, and sustainability of the island.’ The approval also noted that the area, scope, and functional zoning of the reserve will be announced separately by the State Forestry and Grassland Administration. This island, which is the subject of sovereignty disputes, is referred to as ‘Huangyan Island’ by China, ‘Panatag Shoal’ by the Philippines, and internationally known as ‘Scarborough Shoal.’ For years, tensions have…