AFP to conduct another recon flight to check on Chinese WPS constructions

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 18): AFP to conduct another recon flight to check on Chinese WPS constructions

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will conduct another air reconnaissance to determine whether Chinese construction projects in the West Philippine Sea are now complete.

This was disclosed by AFP chief-of-staff Gen. Gregorio Pio Catapang Thursday.

"We still have to verify it, we will conduct another reconnaissance in the area," he added.

And when asked on what the AFP can do, Catapang said that the military is standing by for now as the lead agency in the West Philippine Sea issue is the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).

"We are just standing by, the lead agency for the moment is the DFA. We have already proven that China has put up reclamations in the area which is not in consonance with International Law, so it is at the purview of the DFA at the moment," Catapang disclosed.

The AFP chief was referring to the 2002 Declaration of Conduct (DOC) between ASEAN and China which prohibits parties from constructing new facilities in disputed areas.

Earlier, Department of National Defense (DND) spokesperson Dr. Peter Paul Galvez said that the country is committed in maintaining its "moral high ground" despite ongoing Chinese reclamations and other construction activities at disputed portions of the West Philippine Sea.

This means that the Philippines will not conduct activities that are detrimental to the DOC.

Galvez said that the Philippines will continue to be transparent in all its actions at the disputed territory.

He stressed that China will have the capability to maintain and sustain large military aircraft once it completes its airstrip at Fiery Cross (Kagitingan Reef).

"I'm not so sure (on the state of the airstrip's completion), they were saying that it's like 75 percent, I'm not so sure on how long it is but its already more than halfway, they were saying that it is three kilometers long approximately, (with that length), it can (handle) large aircraft, like cargo and military ones, " he added.

And once they had that kind of facility, the DND spokesperson said China will have the capability to maintain and sustain such aircraft which will be likely a cause of concern for all nations having overlapping claims in the West Philippine Sea.

"If they can sustain maintain yung airfield na yun they can put there a jet anytime and you know it can be (used)in enforcing (an) ADIZ (air defense identification zone) anytime," Galvez said.

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