Beijing: A hotly contested chain of reefs and rocks in the South China Sea is soon to become a nature reserve, China said on Wednesday. The Scarborough Shoal, a triangular formation claimed by China and the Philippines, has been the site of several conflicts, including an incident last month in which a Chinese coast guard vessel that was pursuing a Philippine patrol boat struck a much larger Chinese military ship. It is known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc in the Philippines.

According to Radio Free Asia, China's State Council stated that establishing a reserve on Scarborough Shoal was an important measure for maintaining the diversity, stability, and sustainability of the atoll's natural ecosystem. The boundaries of the reserve would be announced separately by the National Forestry and Grassland Administration, it said.