Phl to raise SCS construction during Beijing meet
The Philippines will raise China’s construction of military facilities in the South China Sea during the bilateral consultation mechanism meeting in May, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said yesterday.
This position will be adopted despite China’s assurances that the reports on building permanent structures on Panatag (Scarborough) shoal “are not official government plans” and that China has “no inten- tion of doing that.”
In an interview on Isss, Manalo said China’s construction activities within the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the images released by the Washington-based CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) on these developments are taken by the Philippines “very seriously” and “we will have to seek clarification from China on what these are all about.”
“What is important is that we are constantly monitoring this and we are certainly not sleeping on this. The DFA in coordination with other security agencies is keeping a tight watch on developments,” Manalo added. “We will have to verify with China. It will be one of the issues. What is the intention of building this?”
The AMTI reported that China can now deploy military assets to the Spratly (Kalayaan) Islands in the South China Sea as it wraps up construction of infrastructure on the “Big Three” – Subi (Zamora), Mischief (Panganiban) and Fiery Cross (Kagitingan) Reefs.
China’s naval, air, radar and defensive facilities in the islands, the report said, are near completion. These facilities would allow Beijing to deploy military assets including combat aircraft and mobile missile launchers to the Spratly Islands at any time.
The Philippines also sent a note verbale to China inquiring on the reported plan to build the first permanent structure on Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal –something that it denied through various levels. The Foreign Ministry, senior officials and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang clarified and assured the country that those are “not official government plans” and that it has “no intention of doing that.”
The Chinese Foreign Minis- try said it has invited officials of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to visit China in May to start discussions on a bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the Philippines and China agreed during the 20th round of Sino-Philippine diplomatic consultation last January to establish a bilateral consultation mechanism on the issue, with the two foreign ministries acting as coordinators, to discuss issues of mutual concern and promote maritime cooperation and security.
Benham Rise survey
Manalo also said China has been asking permission to survey Benham Rise but was denied for failure to fulfill a number of requirements, which include allowing a Filipino scientist on board.
At least three requests remain under consideration.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said China fully respects the right of the Philippines to the continental shelf of Benham Rise and that Beijing never challenged relevant rights of Manila.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang made the statement after the Philippine Senate was told of the probability that China was doing survey works in Benham Rise.
China claimed the ship seen in the area was carrying out “innocent” passage.
“There is no such occasion as China challenging relevant rights of the Philippines,” Lu said.
Late last year, Lu confirmed that China’s scientific research vessel passed relevant waters northeast of Luzon but stressed that the ship enjoys freedom of navigation and right to innocent passage as entitled by international laws like the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“The allegation that the Chinese vessel was carrying out survey work or other activities in waters of Benham Rise is completely groundless,” Lu said.
He noted that PhilippinesChina relations now enjoy a sound growth momentum, citing collective efforts of the two sides.
“Our practical cooperation is moving forward quickly with remarkable achievements,” Lu said. “Such progress is in line with the common interests of the two countries and the two peoples, and is desired by regional countries and the majority peace-loving countries in the world.”
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said the Navy’s sole oceanographic and hydrographic survey ship is mapping the 13-million hectare Benham Rise, a seismically active undersea region and extinct volcanic ridge located in the Philippine Sea approximately 250 kilometers east of the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela.
Former national security adviser Roilo Golez said the Navy should have patrol ships stationed in front of the Pacific to best protect and secure the country’s sovereign rights over Benham.
He suggested the use of a port in Real town in Quezon province as a docking facility and staging point for patrols. The area, he added, would provide easy access and costeffective way of securing the country’s maritime and sovereign interests over the region.
As a naval officer who graduated from the United States Naval Academy, Golez stressed that the Philippines must establish its presence at Benham Rise, as the underwater plateau, bigger than Luzon island, is within the country’s EEZ.