Manila takes issue with Chinese activity near reef

Airstrip, harbour plans behind reclamation work off South China Sea, official says

The Philippines government has said it had lodged a complaint in early October about a reclamation project launched by China to enlarge a reef.

The Chinese move was to ensure that the reef could accommodate an airstrip and a harbour off the South China Sea, senior Philippine officials said.

“We discovered that a note verbale has already been sent [ to China about the reclamation project on Fiery Cross Reef or Kagitingan Reef] on October 10,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told Gulf News.

“[ In the note verbale] we were protesting against the activity of China [ in the Kagitingan Reef],” said del Rosario, who confirmed receiving reports that the reclamation project on the 3,000- metre long and 300- metre wide reef was meant to expand the reef for China’s offshore runway and harbour for warships and tankers.

The Fiery Cross Reef ( or Kagitingan Reef) is “very near” to the Kalayaan Island Group ( KIG), a 37 hectare nine- island chain that the Philippines has claimed in the Spratlys archipelago, located 257 nautical miles off Palawan, southwestern Philippines.

KIG has its own runway, selfgenerated sources of electricity and line of communications, a school, and a community composed of deployed government soldiers and their family members. It is part of the local government unit of Palawan.

Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Gregorio Catapang said, “We continue to re- supply our troops [ on KIG].”