The Philippine government has escalated its diplomatic row with Beijing, formally accusing Chinese maritime forces of using cyanide to deliberately destroy coral reefs in the South China Sea. Manila officials described the alleged practice as a form of "environmental sabotage" aimed at permanently displacing Filipino fishermen and military personnel from the resource-rich waters of the Spratly Islands.
The allegations, brought forward by the National Security Council (NSC) on Tuesday, center on the BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded warship that serves as a military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal. Jonathan Malaya, the NSC Assistant Director-General, stated that documented evidence reveals Chinese crews have been dumping toxic chemicals to "annihilate the marine ecosystem," thereby cutting off the primary food source for Filipino troops stationed on the vessel.
"This is a clear act of environmental terrorism," Malaya said during a press briefing in Quezon City. He noted that the use of cyanide not only kills fish instantly but causes long-term structural damage to the reef’s limestone foundation. Philippine Coast Guard reports indicate that laboratory tests on samples taken from seized Chinese containers confirmed the presence of industrial-grade sodium cyanide.
Beijing has vehemently denied the claims, dismissing the report as a "malicious fabrication" intended to smear China’s reputation. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Mao Ning, countered that Philippine vessels are the ones causing ecological harm by illegally "grounding" ships on sovereign Chinese reefs. "The Philippine side should stop its political performance and face the reality of its own provocations," Mao stated during a regular media briefing in Beijing.
The environmental dispute adds a volatile new layer to the territorial standoff. While previous clashes involved water cannons and ship collisions, the move toward chemical ecological damage marks a significant shift in tactics. Maritime law experts suggest that if proven, the act would violate several international treaties, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Manila is currently preparing a formal legal complaint to be submitted to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, seeking international condemnation of the alleged poisoning.