DND: China must face truth reclamation in South China Sea is illegal

From GMA News (Jun 17): DND: China must face truth reclamation in South China Sea is illegal

China needs to accept the truth and heed the call of the international community, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Wednesday, amid reports that China will soon finish its land reclamation projects in the disputed South China Sea.

“What they are doing is really contrary to international law, so we call on them, magising na kayo sa katotohanan,” DND spokesperson Peter Paul Galvez said as he admitted that China's reclamation activities are “really something of concern” for the Philippines.

Galvez said China's claims over the South China Sea is based on its nine-dash claim, and goes against the Code of Conduct (COC) of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“All these things is contrary to the COC. Usapang matino iyon di ba? So bakit ganyan...? They should stop, they should dismantle and they should keep iyong napag-usapan sa COC,” he said.

Back in 2002, the 10-member ASEAN and China came up with an informal COC which calls on the countries from building structures complicating territorial disputes.

A Reuters report said China will soon complete its land reclamation activities on the Spratly Islands, indicating that Beijing is close to setting up new outposts in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia.

China is currently undertaking land reclamation in seven disputed features in the South China Sea.

Galvez said the Philippine government needs to step up its efforts with the international community to pressure China into halting its reclamation activities.

“Let's not discount the value of informing and telling people making them understand what's really happening, kasi ang mahirap dito we need to counter itong mga lies behind these claims,” he said.

“We have to maintain our moral high ground, wag tayong maging tulad nila na gagawin yung ganyan...tayo we want to maintain na tayo pag kinausap tayo usapang lalaki, usapang matino,” Galvez added.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/505622/news/nation/dnd-china-must-face-truth-reclamation-in-south-china-sea-is-illegal