Foreign journalist won’t be invited to visit the disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea as construction is undergoing, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said.
“When the condition is ripe, we will consider inviting foreign journalists to visit the islands and reefs,” said Hua in a press briefing held in Beijing on Wednesday, a transcript of which was posted in the official website of the Chinese embassy in Manila.
She did not specify, however, what kind of construction that the Chinese government is undertaking in the said islands.
Two dozen journalists were flown to the island aboard a Taiwanese air force C-130 transport plane that landed on an airstrip on Taiping guarded by Taiwanese coast guard sentries with rifles.
The delegation was given a tour of the island’s agricultural features, as well as its natural sources of water, a hospital, harbor, and a temple among other sites.
The Philippines, along with Vietnam, also claims Taiping.
According to the Taiwanese government, the trip was intended to demonstrate that Taiping is an island capable of sustaining human habitation, and not simply a “rock” as the Philippines claims in a case brought before the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Islands are entitled to territorial waters, an exclusive economic zone, and other rights not enjoyed by mere rocks.
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou even extended an invitation to Filipino representatives to visit Taiping Island in the South China Sea.
President Ma said the Philippines is “ignorant” about conditions on the island and has “misled” the international arbitration panel with “absurd reasoning.”
The Philippines has also invited journalists for a tour of some islands and reefs which it claims as its own several times in the past.
Manila’s case, which has been rejected by China, aims to challenge Beijing’s blanket claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.
Malaysia and Brunei also say parts of the strategically vital sea belong to them. The dispute now threatens to draw in Indonesia, whose sea border abuts China’s vague, unilaterally declared boundary around the South China Sea known as the nine-dash line.
Indonesia this week detained the eight crew members of a Chinese vessel it accused of fishing illegally in its waters, while China says the ship was being “harassed” by an armed Indonesian government boat.
http://www.mb.com.ph/construction-on-disputed-islands-reefs-continues-chinese-official/
(FILES) This file aerial view taken on July 27, 2012 shows part of the city of Sansha on the island of Yongxing, also known as Woody island in the disputed Paracel chain, which China now considers part of Hainan province. China has deployed surface-to-air missiles on the disputed island in the South China Sea, Taiwan said on February 17, 2016, as Beijing insisted it had a right to build “self-defence” systems in the strategic region. Taiwan’s defence ministry confirmed the existence of the facility after Fox News reported that missile launchers had arrived on Woody Island, part of the Paracels chain, in the past week. AFP PHOTO / FILES / AFP / STR
She did not specify, however, what kind of construction that the Chinese government is undertaking in the said islands.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued this statement after Taiwan, one of the countries who has claims parts of the South China Sea, flew international media to an island in the disputed and increasingly tense region.
The delegation was given a tour of the island’s agricultural features, as well as its natural sources of water, a hospital, harbor, and a temple among other sites.
The Philippines, along with Vietnam, also claims Taiping.
According to the Taiwanese government, the trip was intended to demonstrate that Taiping is an island capable of sustaining human habitation, and not simply a “rock” as the Philippines claims in a case brought before the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Islands are entitled to territorial waters, an exclusive economic zone, and other rights not enjoyed by mere rocks.
Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou even extended an invitation to Filipino representatives to visit Taiping Island in the South China Sea.
President Ma said the Philippines is “ignorant” about conditions on the island and has “misled” the international arbitration panel with “absurd reasoning.”
The Philippines has also invited journalists for a tour of some islands and reefs which it claims as its own several times in the past.
Manila’s case, which has been rejected by China, aims to challenge Beijing’s blanket claim to virtually the entire South China Sea.
Malaysia and Brunei also say parts of the strategically vital sea belong to them. The dispute now threatens to draw in Indonesia, whose sea border abuts China’s vague, unilaterally declared boundary around the South China Sea known as the nine-dash line.
Indonesia this week detained the eight crew members of a Chinese vessel it accused of fishing illegally in its waters, while China says the ship was being “harassed” by an armed Indonesian government boat.
http://www.mb.com.ph/construction-on-disputed-islands-reefs-continues-chinese-official/
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