Philippines vows to block structures at Scarborough Shoal amid fears of Chinese expansion

Philippines vows to block structures at Scarborough Shoal amid fears of Chinese expansion Observers say Beijing could be using its ‘old playbook’ of deploying scientific activities to boost military presence in the South China Sea The Armed Forces of the Philippines said on Tuesday it would not allow any structure to be built at the shoal, nearly three weeks after satellite images first showed a possible floating platform there. “We are not allowing that to happen. We’re not allowing any structure there,” military Public Affairs Office chief Xerxes Trinidad said during a media briefing. “And we have maintained our position that we will not be allowing any part to be given to a foreign nation. Not a single inch.” On whether the military would take action if there was a permanent structure built at the location, Trinidad declined to elaborate, telling This Week in Asia that such a scenario was “speculative”.