PCG stops China’s ‘artificial island’
THE Philippine government has stopped China from continuing its alleged illegal activities in the West Philippines Sea (WPS), particularly in the Escoda Shoal, also known as Sabina Shoal and Xiānbīn Jiāo in Mandarin Chinese.
Commodore Jay Tarriela of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said China has been creating an “artificial island” in Escoda Shoal, which is just 75 nautical miles away from the coastline of Palawan.
“The material they use for filling in these areas is coral. So, it means they have to kill all the corals as many as possible for them to be able to use that as a foundation for their island reclamation. Here, it’s like they’re just starting [on Escoda Shoal]. So, if we say that the coral dumping they’re doing on Sandy Cay has allowed them to expand this land area, this surface area as an artificial island,” he said in a mix of Tagalog and English.
Tarriela, PCG’s spokesman for the WPS, said they were able to stop China’s alleged illegal activities.
“We have been there for 26 days. They haven’t done any dumping, but instead they’re deploying divers doing the measurement and all. We haven’t seen any actual dumping here from them... Our mere presence has already deterred China from doing such illegal action,” he added.
Continuous monitoring
Tarriela said PCG’s continuous monitoring in the area is significant as it can prevent China’s activities in the area.
He said they have monitored a total of 34 Chinese maritime militia vessels on Escoda Shoal with the People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels and helicopters and four other China Coast Guard (CGC) vessels.
The PCG has said that it is committed to have a prolonged presence on Escoda Shoal for it to document China’s activities in the WPS.
Tarriela said the PCG has to work round the clock to stop China from its alarming activities.
“The 244-meter vessels, brp Cabra and brp Malabrigo, are also rotating deployments from Escoda Shoal so that we will be more aware of the activities of the Chinese Coast Guard and the Chinese Maritime Militia, together with their Chinese research vessels and marine scientists that they deploy here,” he said.
Tarriela said the PCG has deployed its brp Teresa Magbanua, which, on Saturday, was on its 26th day on Escoda Shoal to ensure that China will not resume its alleged illegal activities in the Philippine waters.
He said the PCG is hoping “to flex more muscles” in preventing the deployment of Chinese research vessels, Chinese maritime militia boats and CCG ships on Philippine waters with the expected arrival of a 97-meter vessel from Japan.