China has territorial claims in the South China Sea, which spans the breadth of the strategic waters. The Supreme Court ruling was in response to fisherman’s complaints of inaction against illegal Chinese activity. The court issued a decree instructing government ministries, the coastguard, navy and police to enforce international conventions and domestic laws to protect reefs and marine life.

This protection is over the Philippines’ 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

Fishing communities from two provinces created a petition that alleged island-building by the Chinese state and Chinese fishing practices violated a ruling made in 2016.

That ruling was made by the Permanent Court of Arbitration which was imposed and won by the Philippines.

Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has been accused of giving in to China’s strategic demands hoping to secure billions of dollars worth of loans and investments.

The Supreme Court order covered three areas of dispute. The Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine-occupied Second Thomas Shoal and the Mischief Reef.

The Mischief Reef is one of three that China has converted into artificial islands.

Those islands are equipped with bunkers, radar and surface-to-air missiles.

Justice minister and president Duterte’s spokesman did not respond to Reuters for comment on the court order.

As China looks to tighten its control over the waterway – the ruling stands as president Duterte’s biggest foreign policy crisis in his presidency.

Opinion polls show Duterte’s popularity among Filipinos has not done much to change feelings of mistrust towards China.

Tensions in the South China Sea have been rising with the US mounting pressure on Beijing by sailing two destroyers through the Taiwan Strait this week.

They did so as Chinese and Russian fleets met for exercises off the east coast of China.

The two countries were looking to increase bilateral military relations as both warships were taking part in naval exercises.

Under the “One China” policy, Beijing believes Taiwan should become part of a unified Chinese state – despite being independent since 1947.

Beijing believes this should happen either by diplomacy or by force.

The mission was designed to put pressure on Beijing and assert Washington’s belief the waterway constitutes international waters.

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