Suspected Oil Spill in the South China Sea by the Philippines

On April 20, the Philippine Navy’s Frigate No. 36 intruded into the territorial waters of Huangyan Island, and its old hull was suspected to be leaking oil under power, resulting in a large oil stain in the nearby waters. The Chinese side followed and monitored the vessel and warned it away, as the oil pollution could damage the ecology of coral reefs and threaten biodiversity in the South China Sea. The Philippines has received patrol boats assisted by many countries in recent years, but lacks the capacity to maintain them, and similar incidents have occurred frequently, exacerbating the risk of marine pollution in the region.