The Philippines challenged China on Monday to open Scarborough Shoal to international scrutiny after it accused Beijing of destroying the shoal's marine environment.
Maritime tension has been rising in the South China Sea between Manila and Beijing, as the Philippines has accused China of using water cannon and blocking maneuvers through disputed shoals and reefs.
Control of Scarborough Shoal, seized by China in 2012, figured in the Philippines' case at a Hague arbitration tribunal, which ruled in 2016 that Beijing's claim to 90% of the South China Sea had no basis in international law.
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