Scarborough Shoaldown

In the fall of 2022, Chinese naval forces swarmed Scarborough Shoal and Chinese Coast Guard Type 053 Frigates began 24/7 patrols. By May of 2023, the Chinese had undertaken dredging operations and were clearly intending to build an airbase on the new island. Despite international criticism, China carried out the act and had a fully functional airbase by August of 2024. American forces immediately conducted a freedom of navigation exercise, coming within 12 nm of the shoal. Chinese forces aggressively turned the American ship away, and filed an international grievance for the so called "violation of sovreignty". American leadership dismissed the claim. After a freedom of navigation exercise near Woody Island and the Paracel Islands resulted in a collision between the USS Winston S. Churchill and a Chinese destroyer, China stated that any further freedom of navigation exercises would be met with force. The United States once again dismissed these threats, and are preparing to conduct another freedom of navigation exercise near Scarborough Shoal. Update: Trigger zones fixed so that points are awarded properly and messages display.