Manila tells Beijing to abide by 2002 ASEAN-China declaration, stop reclamation

From InterAksyon (May 7): Manila tells Beijing to abide by 2002 ASEAN-China declaration, stop reclamation



Recent surveillance photo shows Chinese dredgers in the Philippine-owned Mischief Reef.

The Philippines on Wednesday said China's "illegal and invalid nine-dash-line claim" remained the core issue in the South China Sea disputes, and urged its neighbor to stop its reclamation activities while distracting the region with accusations that Manila has breached the 2002 declaration of parties in the maritime rows.

In a strongly worded statement a day after China painted the Philippines as a violator of the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the Department of Foreign Affairs said the accusation was a distraction. It is meant to cover the fact that many countries have expressed alarm over China's reclamation activities seen to permanently change the status quo in the islands, islets, reefs and atolls in the West Philippine Sea.

"China should not distract the region and the international community from the core issue in the disputes in the South China Sea which is China's illegal and invalid "nine-dash-line" claim," said DFA.

The DFA added that the "massive reclamation in the South China Sea is intended to advance this so-called nine-dash-line claim."

These are "plainly intended," said the DFA, "to change the character, status and maritime entitlements of the features, prejudice the arbitration and undermine the work of the Arbitral Tribunal constitited under UNCLOS to hear and objectively decide the case," referring to the UN court at the Hague hearing the complaint filed last year by Manila against Beijing's "excessive nine-dash-line claim."

China has refused to participate in the proceedings of the tribunal, but Manila  has already submitted its Memorial, and oral arguments are set in July.

The reclamation frenzy is seen by analysts as meant to preempt any decision by the tribunal, and moot a possible favorable action for the Philippines. China has poured massive resources into the reclamation, building what are believed to be expansions of its garrisons, an air strip, and other military facilities.

China said recently the facilities are for scientific research, and even invited the United States to use them.

According to DFA's statement issued Wednesday, "the [reclamation] activities also threaten freedom of navigation, cause irreparable damage to the marine environment, and infringe on the rights of other States."

China, DFA stressed, "should adhere to Paragraph 5 of the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) which states that all parties should exercise self-retraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate and escalate disputes and affect peace and stability."

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/110086/manila-tells-beijing-to-abide-by-2002-asean-china-declaration-stop-reclamation