The various reclamation activities of China in the Spratlys. FROM THE PRESENTATION OF GENERAL PIO CATAPANG, ARMED FORCES OF THE PHILIPPINES CHIEF OF STAFF
What follows is the presentation of Gen. Pio Catapang, Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, at the briefing before the launch of the PH-US war games Balikatan 2015. InterAksyon.com is posting his full speech and Powerpoint slides below.
I am presenting to you this morning the latest images of the massive reclamation activities by China in the disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea.
We have compelling reasons to raise our voice to tell the whole world the adverse effects of China’s aggressiveness that has created tensions not only among the countries who have overlapping claims in the area, but also among the countries around the world who are using the international sea lanes in the WPS for trade and commerce.
As you can see in these images, China’s massive reclamation activities are causing irreversible and widespread damage to the biodiversity and ecological balance of the West Philippine Sea. China’s claim that its activities have not caused damage to the ecological environment in this area is not acceptable.
For example, the destruction of 300 acres of coral reef systems resulting from the reclamations is estimated to lead to economic losses to coastal states valued at $100 million annually.
We are saddened hearing the reports that China has driven away Filipino fishermen near these reclamation sites and also in Bajo de Masinloc, denying our people of their own fishing areas which are the sources of their livelihood.
It is worth remembering that China has tolerated environmentally harmful fishing practices by its fishermen who are now occupying Bajo De Masinloc, a Philippine territory that was grabbed and now being dominated. These bad fishing practices are violations under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
We also believe that China’s massive reclamation activities will cause tensions among claimant countries not only because it could deter freedom of navigation but also due to its possible military purposes.
We support the government’s move to protest the ongoing construction works which clearly violated ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct in which the signatories agreed to resolve the territorial dispute peacefully and exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes.
We call on China to stop the reclamation activities and to be mindful of its responsibilities as a claimant state and an important member of the international community.
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