China confirms month-long survey near Scarborough Shoal, escalating South China Sea tensions

China's Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed that the research vessel Haiyang Dizhi Shihao conducted a month-long geological survey near Scarborough Shoal, a disputed feature in the South China Sea. The survey, conducted from August 11 to September 8, is framed as routine scientific activity but is likely to heighten tensions with the Philippines, which claims the area. The move signals continued Chinese assertiveness in the region, though the immediate operational impact remains unclear.