MANILA, Philippines–The Philippines
announced Tuesday it had protested China’s reclamation activities in disputed
waters, a day after Beijing denounced as “irresponsible” US criticism of
Beijing’s construction of an artificial island reportedly large enough for an
airstrip.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario
said that his department submitted a note verbale to China on Oct. 10,
“protesting the activity” in the West Philippine Sea.
“We looked at our records and
discovered that a note verbale had already been sent,” Del Rosario said.
Days after the report, Lt. Col. Jeffrey
Pool, a US military spokesman, called on China and other governments to cease
such construction.
Reiterating Washington’s stance, a US
state department spokesperson on Monday said “large-scale construction… would
seem to complicate or escalate the situation in our view.”
“The Chinese government can speak for
themselves, but we would urge China as well as all the claimants of the South
China Sea to be transparent about their activities in disputed areas,” Jeffrey
Rathke told reporters.
“External forces have no right to make
irresponsible remarks,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said
at a briefing in Beijing on Monday when asked about Washington’s comments.
“The construction activities China is undertaking
are for the improvement of the working and living conditions of the
island-stationed personnel, so that they can better fulfill their international
obligations and responsibilities in search and rescue.”
A London-based security group, IHS
Jane’s, last week revealed in a report new details of the land reclamation
project China was undertaking on Fiery Cross Reef, known as Yongshu in Chinese
and Kagitingan Reef in the Philippines.
According to the report, the artificial
island is 3,000 meters long and 200-300 meters wide, one of several reclamation
projects being pursued by China in the region but apparently the first that
could accommodate an airstrip. A harbor has been dug out on the east side of
the reef that appears large enough for tankers and naval warships, it said.
‘Completely legit’
Outspoken People’s Liberation Army Maj.
Gen. Luo Yuan defended the project, which he called “completely legitimate and
justifiable” in an interview with the state-run Global Times newspaper.
“The US is obviously biased considering
that the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam have already set up military
facilities,” Luo was quoted as saying.
In a separate editorial, the newspaper
contended that China was building on the reef “mainly to improve the living
standards of the reef-stationed soldiers.”
“China’s construction on the Yongshu
Reef will not be affected by US words,” the paper wrote. “The Yongshu Reef is
becoming a big island, which shows China’s prominent construction
capabilities.”
IHS Jane’s said the new island could be
China’s first military airstrip in the Spratly Islands and might be aimed at
helping Beijing impose its sovereignty claims over neighboring countries that
also claim the territory.
Reports from Leila B. Salaverria, AP and AFP
Post a Comment