Second Thomas Shoal Reef
Published on 26 Mar 2025
• Tensions have escalated at Second Thomas Shoal, with China blocking manoeuvres and disrupting supply missions.
• Located in the Spratly Islands of the South China Sea, the shoal is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but is also claimed by China.
• A shoal is a submerged or partially-submerged long and narrow ridge, normally of sand, that forms in rivers and oceans. The water is shallow here.
• South China Sea
» One major dispute involves the “nine- dash line” claimed by China, which encompasses most of the South China Sea and overlaps with the exclusive economic zone claims of several other South Asian countries.
Key disputed features include
Paracel Islands (controlled by China but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam)
Spratly Islands (claimed by multiple countries including China, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia)
Scarborough Shoal (claimed by China, Taiwan, and the Philippines)