What is the significance of the Scarborough Shoal dispute between China and the Philippines?

The Scarborough Shoal is a strategic triangular chain of reefs and rocks that China forcibly seized from the Philippines in 2012, located 240km west of the Philippines' main island of Luzon and nearly 900km from China's nearest major landmass. This area has become a flashpoint for regional tensions, with China's military engaging in provocative actions including a recent incident where a Chinese Navy helicopter flew dangerously close to a Philippine surveillance aircraft. Despite a 2016 international ruling invalidating China's sweeping claims to the South China Sea, Beijing continues its aggressive expansion in the region. The area has witnessed repeated confrontations as the Philippines attempts to supply Filipino fishermen working in these contested waters, underscoring the ongoing territorial dispute that threatens regional stability.