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South China Sea
ChinaDiplomacy

China deploys new floating barrier at Scarborough Shoal, satellite image shows

Barrier seen blocking entrance to lagoon at the contested atoll where tensions between Beijing and Manila have intensified

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This satellite image obtained by Satellogic and distributed by SkyFi shows what appears to be a man-made barrier blocking the entrance to the lagoon at the Scarborough Shoal – known as Huangyan Island in China and Panatag Shoal in the Philippines – an atoll in the South China Sea that is claimed by both the Philippines and China. Photo: Satellogic via SkyFi
Laura Zhou
China has installed a new floating barrier at Scarborough Shoal, according to satellite imagery, as tensions rise between Beijing and Manila over the disputed atoll in the South China Sea.

The barrier was seen blocking the entrance to the lagoon at the shoal in the image obtained by Satellogic, a geospatial company headquartered in Montevideo, Uruguay.

“New satellite imagery shows an illegal floating barrier installed by the People’s Republic of China at the mouth of Scarborough Shoal,” Luke Fischer, the CEO and co-founder of SkyFi, a US-based app for satellite data, wrote on social media.

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It is not clear when the barrier was installed, but Ray Powell, a maritime security expert and director of the SeaLight transparency project that analysed the high-resolution imagery, said on social media that the image was from October 8.

Powell said it was not the first time China had installed a floating barrier at the contested shoal.

The image was shared in this social media post from Ray Powell, a maritime security expert and director of the SeaLight transparency project. SeaLight was responsible for analysing the high-resolution image. Image: Satellogic via SkyFi/GordianKnotRay on Twitter
The image was shared in this social media post from Ray Powell, a maritime security expert and director of the SeaLight transparency project. SeaLight was responsible for analysing the high-resolution image. Image: Satellogic via SkyFi/GordianKnotRay on Twitter

“This was just a particularly vivid shot from space,” he said on Wednesday. “The clear intention, however, is to restrict access to the shoal.”

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