This photo taken on September 28, 2023 shows an aerial view of the mouth of the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal, seen without any barriers obstructing the passageway, as Chinese coast guard ships (top L) are seen anchored inside the lagoon of the Chinese-controlled Scarborough Shoal during a maritime surveillance flight by the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) over disputed waters of the South China Sea. (Photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP Photo)
