Sabina Shoal

 China

 Philippines

 Taiwan

 Vietnam

Sabina Shoal, also known as Bãi Sa Bin (Vietnamese: Bãi Sa Bin); Escoda Shoal (Filipino: Buhanginan ng Escoda); Xianbin Jiao (Chinese: 仙賓礁/仙宾礁; pinyin: Xiānbīn Jiāo), is a disputed atoll^[1] located in the northeast of Dangerous Ground in the Spratly Islands, South China Sea.

It is claimed by China, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. These countries claim the Spratly Islands either in part or their entirety.^[2]

The shoal lies within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines but EEZ itself does not define the actual sovereignty for any islands and shoals within the zone. It does, however, grant certain exclusive rights and jurisdiction to the Philippines according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).^[3]

Sabina Shoal is part of the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. It lies in position 09° 45' N 116° 28' E,^[4] 75 nautical miles from Palawan Island and lies within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.^[5][6] It is situated 56 nautical miles southwest of Carnatic Shoal, with two main parts and an area of 115 square kilometres (44 sq mi).

The eastern half of Sabina Shoal consists of reefs awash, while the western half consists of banks 3.7 to 8.3 metres (12 to 27 feet) deep, and reefs enclosing a lagoon.^[7]

Sabina Shoal is a disputed low-tide elevation in the Spratly Islands, that is claimed by multiple states: China, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Determining sovereignty of disputed features is beyond the jurisdiction of UNCLOS according to Professor Robert Beckman of Nanyang Technological University,^[8] The 2016 South China Sea Arbitration by the arbitral tribunal at Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague specifically stated that it does not "rule on any question of sovereignty".^[9] The ruling did address specific issues brought to it which included where the Phillipines sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone had been breached by others.^[9]

Because Sabina Shoal lies within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the country, the Philippines has the sovereign rights to explore, conserve, and manage the natural resources of the sea, according to UNCLOS.^[10][11][12] The Philippines also has jurisdiction to Sabina Shoal with regard to "the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures; marine scientific research; and the protection and preservation of the marine environment" according to the same.^[3] There is a distinction between sovereignty and sovereign rights according to international martitime law.^[13][14]

China, which is a signatory to UNCLOS,^[15] has refused to acknowledge the 2016 arbitration ruling, and instead claims the region as part of its Nine-dash line,^[16] which the arbitral tribunal ruled as having no basis in international law.^[17]

In 1995, soon after occupying Mischief Reef, China (PRC) installed three buoys near Sabina Shoal. They were confiscated by the Philippines.^[18]

On April 27, 2021, during a joint maritime patrol operations of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the area, seven Chinese maritime militia vessels were spotted anchored at the atoll. After several challenges from BRP Cabra of the PCG, the militia vessels left the area.^[19][20]

Alleging reclamation activities by China, the PCG stationed the BRP Teresa Magbanua at Sabina Shoal in April 2024. China responded by deploying its 12,000-ton 165 meter Coast Guard ship which is nicknamed "The Monster" because of its size.^[21]

On the Independence Day of the Philippines in 2024, Rear Admiral Armando Balilo of the PCG, aboard BRP Teresa Magbanua in that part of the South China Sea called by the Philippines the West Philippine Sea, held a flag-raising ceremony claiming Sabina Shoal for the Philippines.^[22] China responded with a vow to take "strong measures" against the Philippines.^[23]

Up to 71 Coast Guard ships and other vessels from China were seen at Sabina Shoal from August 27 to September 2, 2024.^[24]

On August 19, 2024, Philippine Coast Guard vessels BRP Cape Engaño along with the BRP Bagacay suffered damage after being rammed by China Coast Guard ships off Sabina Shoal. Bagacay suffered a 3-foot hole above the waterline.^[25] A 60 Minutes crew with journalist Cecilia Vega were onboard the Cape Engaño when it was surrounded by 14 Chinese Coast Guard and Maritime Militia ships and rammed at 4am by a China Coast Guard vessel. The ramming tore a 3 1/2 foot hole above the waterline on the Cape Engaño.^[26]

The day after a clash between the two coast guards near the shoal on August 19, 2024, the Philippine government stated it was examining expanding the provisional agreement that had been established to de-escalate tensions near the Second Thomas Shoal to other areas.^[27]

On August 31, 2024, China Coast Guard vessel 5205 rammed the port bow of the Philippines Coast Guard patrol ship BRP Teresa Magbanua, then turned around and struck its starboard quarter, turned around once more and struck its port bow. Parts of the Philippine Coast Guard ship were left with holes after the Chinese Coast Guard vessel's actions.^[28] Footage released on social media by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela showed how the China Coast Guard vessel deliberately rammed the Philippine Coast Guard patrol ship multiple times.^[12] The China Coast Guard spokesperson Liu Dejun's claim was released hours earlier that “At 12:06, the Philippine ship deliberately rammed into the Chinese ship 5205 in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, causing a collision for which the Philippines bears full responsibility.”^[29] Tariella released further footage showing the damage to the Philippine ship, including a man-sized hole.^[30]

The United States,^[31] Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and the European Union condemned China's repeated ramming of the Filipino vessel and denounced China's actions, demanding that China stop its "aggression".^[32]

In September of 2023, a Philippine Coast Guard survey revealed massive damage to the marine environment and coral reef in Sabina Shoal.^[33] The presence of crushed corals in the reef indicated dumping and potential attempts at reclamation activities, similar to artificial islands created by China in the South China Sea, also known as the Great Wall of Sand. In May, 2024, the Philippine Coast Guard discovered more crushed corals at the shoal, and said that Chinese maritime militia vessels were suspected as they were swarming the area with cabbage tactics prior to the environmental destruction.^[34][2]

China said there was no scientific or factual basis for the claims made by the Philippines. It claimed that the PCG ship (BRP Teresa Magbanua) anchored at the shoal had caused continuous damage to the surrounding natural environment.^[35]

The US BGN Advisory Committee on Undersea Features (ACUF) database also documents other names as French: Banc Sabina, Malay: Beting Sabina and alternative Chinese names as Hsien-pin An-sha, Xianbin Ansha, Yulin, 仙濱暗沙, 鱼鳞.^[36]

• v
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Spratly Islands

Confrontations

• Southwest Cay incident (1975)
• East Sea Campaign (1975)
• Johnson South Reef Skirmish (1988)

Regions

• Dangerous Ground
• Loaita Bank
• London Reefs
• North Danger Reef
• Reed Tablemount
• Tizard Bank
• Union Banks

Occupied features

Brunei	Louisa Reef
China	Cuarteron Reef Fiery Cross Reef Gaven Reefs Hughes Reef Johnson South Reef Mischief Reef Subi Reef
Malaysia	Ardasier Reef Dallas Reef Erica Reef Investigator Shoal Mariveles Reef Swallow Reef
Philippines	Commodore Reef Flat Island Irving Reef Lankiam Cay Loaita Cay Loaita Island Nanshan Island Northeast Cay Second Thomas Shoal Thitu Island West York Island
Taiwan	Taiping Island Zhongzhou Reef
Vietnam	Alison Reef Amboyna Cay Barque Canada Reef Bombay Castle Central London Reef Collins Reef Cornwallis South Reef Discovery Great Reef East London Reef Grierson Reef Ladd Reef Lansdowne Reef Namyit Island Pearson Reef Petley Reef Sand Cay Sin Cowe Island South Reef Southwest Cay Spratly Island Tennent Reef West London Reef

Unoccupied features

• First Thomas Shoal
• Half Moon Shoal
• Luconia Shoals
• Northeast Investigator Shoal
• Royal Captain Shoal
• Sabina Shoal
• Third Thomas Shoal
• Western Reef
• Whitsun Reef

Related articles

• Spratly Islands dispute
• Free Territory of Freedomland
• "Great Wall of Sand"
• List of airports in the Spratly Islands
• List of maritime features in the Spratly Islands
• Philippines and the Spratly Islands
• Republic of Morac-Songhrati-Meads
• Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
• Nine-dash line