Dossier
hawksbill sea turtles
Coverage of hawksbill sea turtles in the Nexus archive.
- Turtle power: how China uses scientific research to try to bolster territorial claims
Chinese researchers discovered hawksbill sea turtles near Scarborough Shoal, a contested area in the South China Sea, with experts suggesting the scientific findings aim to legitimize China's territorial claims. State media coverage of marine research and conservation efforts in disputed waters, including coral reef surveys, is framed as strategic signaling to reinforce Beijing's presence and sovereignty assertions over the shoal, which is also claimed by the Philippines.