The Philippines condemns China for installing floating barrier in disputed South China Sea

“The continued swarming for the indiscriminate illegal and destructive fishing activities of the Chinese maritime militia in Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal may have directly caused the degradation and destruction of the marine environment in the [West Philippine Sea] features,” Tarriela said in a statement, referring to Manila’s name for parts of the South China Sea within its jurisdiction.

“The presence of crushed corals strongly suggests a potential act of dumping, possibly involving the same dead corals that were previously processed and cleaned before being returned to the seabed,” Tarriela added.

When asked about the coral destruction at a routine briefing on Thursday, China’s foreign ministry dismissed the allegations as “false and groundless.”

“We advise the Philippine authorities not to utilize fabricated information to stage a political farce,” spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters.

According to Filipino fishermen, Chinese vessels “usually install floating barriers whenever they monitor a large number of Filipino fishermen in the area,” the statement said.

China has not yet publicly commented.

CNN is seeking a response from China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Bajo de Masinloc, also known as the Scarborough Shoal, is a small but strategic reef and fertile fishing ground 130 miles (200 kilometers) west of the Philippine island of Luzon.

The shoal, which China calls Huangyandao, is one of a number of disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea, which is home to various territorial disputes.