PHL Protests Chinese Reclamation on Kagitingan Reef

With China’s reclamation activity in Kagitingan reef that Philippines also claimed, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already sent a note verbale of protest to Beijing.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told Senate reporters Tuesday they are already sent a note verbale on October 10 regarding China’s reported activity on Fiery Cross Reef or Kagitingan Reef.

Del Rosario said in sending the note verbale, “we were protesting the activity.” Del Rosario was at the Senate to attend the plenary deliberation on his department’s proposed 2015 budget.

China’s reclamation activity on Kagitingan Reef is already in its advanced stage and an airstrip is being constructed, report said.

Kagitingan Reef is part of a group of Philippine-claimed islands facing the South China Sea, called the Kalayaan Island Group,

GMA News Online quoted an Agence France-Presse report saying that according to Jane’s Defence report, the artificial island is a huge 3,000 meters (1,000 feet) 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.

It added that a harbor has been dug out on the east side of the reef that appears large enough for tankers and naval warships. Days after the report, the US called on China to halt the project and for other governments to cease similar efforts, GMA News online reported.

But People’s Liberation Army Major General Luo Yuan told the state-run Global Times newspaper that Beijing was building infrastructure on the reef and the US should stay out of the issue, report said.

Verification

Del Rosario earlier said they are still verifying the report but when they looked at their records, they “discovered that a note verbale has already been sent.”

Armed Forces chief Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Jr.,in a separate interview, said they are still checking if there is indeed a construction of an airstrip but they will heed whatever instruction the DFA will give them.

Asked on the present situation in the West Philippine Sea, Catapang said it remains to be “very normal” and they continue to monitor the area, report said.

“We continue to resupply our troops, we continue to do our daily job and we continue to put our troops there. They are in the area as of now. [The situation is normal] because nobody bothers them, our troops still occupy the areas, the islands that we are presently occupying,” Catapang said.

Source: GMA News Online

Image Credit: www.gmanetwork.com