China on Wednesday said that it is not building an environmental monitoring station on Scarborough Shoal in contrary to an article published last week in a local Chinese news paper, which drew sharp criticisms from Philippine leaders across the board including President Rodrigo Duterte.

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"According to the relevant bodies in China, the reports you mention that touch upon building environmental monitoring stations on Scarborough Shoal are mistaken, these things are not true," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, told reporters during a regular news briefing.

Hua stressed that China's position on Scarborough Shoal is "consistent and clear," adding that Chinese leadership gives great deal of importance to bilateral relationship with Philippines.

The fiasco over Scarborough Shoal started after Xiao Jie, the mayor of Sansha City, disclosed in an interview to Hainan Daily news paper that China will soon start constructing an environmental monitoring station on the Scarborough Shoal.

The revelation immediately set off widespread criticism in Philippines, which along with Taiwan jointly stakes claim over the disputed Shoal. President Duterte openly confessed to local reporters last week that Philippine is too weak to stop China from pursuing construction activities in the disputed South China Sea region.

But Duterte promised that he will evoke last year's historic international arbitration court's ruling with China at the right time. The Filipino's outspoken president claimed that he has already spoken about this to his Chinese counterpart Xi Jingping during his last year's historic visit to China.

Duterte's comment was apparently in response to Philippine's Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who slammed the reports over China's latest construction activities in Scarborough Shoal.

Carpio expressed fear that Beijing may misuse the monitoring station for military purposes to strengthen its hold on South China Sea region. He cited the examples of radar stations in Subi Reef, Mischief Reef and Fiery Cross Reef that allegedly houses missile batteries.

China snatched Scarborough Shoal completely from Manila's control in April 2012 following a long military stand-off. Since then Beijing has imposed a ban on the entry of Filipino fishermen in Scarborough Shoal. However, the ban was eased last year immediately after Duterte's visit to China.    

Tagschina, Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea Dispute, China and Philippines, Philippines