The Philippine government yesterday said it has released military surveillance images showing that Beijing violated a regional agreement not to escalate territorial disputes by reclaiming land on a disputed reef in the South China Sea.
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the pictures show China’s aggression in asserting its sovereignty claims over virtually the entire sea.
The aerial photographs were accompanied by a caption stating that they were obtained from “Philippine intelligence sources” and that the “extensive reclamation” by Beijing on the Chinese-held Johnson South Reef (Chigua Reef, 赤瓜礁) was “destabilizing.”
Photo: AFP / PHILIPPINE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The reef is part of the Spratly Islands (Nansha Islands, 南沙群島), parts or all of which are claimed by Taiwan, China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
Jose said a 2002 non-binding agreement between China and the 10-member ASEAN calls for restraint in conducting activities in the region that would “complicate or escalate disputes” and to not inhabit uninhabited areas.
“We want to show people that [China’s] actions are part of its aggressive behavior to assert its claim in violation of the [Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea] DOC,” which was signed by China, Philippines and nine ASEAN members, Jose said.
Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario said on Wednesday that it was not clear what China would build on the reclaimed land, but that an airstrip was a possibility.
A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said it could also be used as a military base and a resupply and refueling hub. The official said the reclamation was first detected by air force planes six months ago.
An airstrip or military base on the reef would boost the mobility of Chinese forces in the sea.
Philippine aircraft helping search for the missing Malaysia Airlines plane in March reported reclamation work was continuing, Jose said.
Del Rosario said Manila lodged a protest against China last month, but that Beijing has ignored it.
The Philippine government estimates that the Chinese have reclaimed a land mass of at least 30 hectares from the reef, which Manila says is part of its western Palawan province. What has emerged from the coral outcrop appears like a vast tree-less island of white sand in the middle of turquoise blue waters.
One of the pictures shows a long pipe connected to a large dredging vessel on the northwestern edge of the reef. A concrete building thought to be China’s outpost on the reef stands on the southern edge of the emerging islet, with a ship close-by.
Against this backdrop of flaring regional tensions, the US conducted military maneuvers in the Philippines yesterday, at the end of 10 days of annual war games between the US and Manila involving 5,500 troops that this year focused on security issues in the South China Sea and followed the signing of a defense deal between the two allies.
“It’s a maritime security scenario,” Philippine Navy Captain Annaleah Cazcarro said of yesterday’s maneuvers. “We don’t have a target country.”
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