CHINA’S continued reclamation in the disputed West Philippine Sea constitutes a threat to global sustainable development goals, the government said on Tuesday as it dismissed Beijing’s accusation that Manila violated a decade old informal code of conduct in the South China Sea.
Assistant Secretary for the Office of Asian and Pacific Affairs Minda Calaguian-Cruz said 17 goals and 169 targets, which have been integrated into the United Nations Development Agenda Beyond 2015 for the sustainable development of the area, is being adversely affected by China’s continued reclamation.
DFA spokesperson Charles Jose, for his part, shrugged off allegations that the Philippines violated a 13-year-old informal code of conduct in the South China Sea with its building work on disputed islets.
Jose also raised doubts on China’s offer to allow countries, including the United States, to use the artificial islets it built in the disputed South China Sea as nothing but a ploy to ward off international criticism.
“We should not be distracted by their actions and instead focus on the core issues which is China’s unlawful claim,” Jose said, adding, “China continues to illegally claim sovereignty over the almost entire South China Sea as represented by their nine dash line.”
The DFA spokesperson also defended the Philippines structures in the Pagasa islets, saying that the signing of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in 2002 can be taken as a “benchmark”.
Jose said the Philippines built the airport on Pagasa island before 2002.
“What they did afterwards is just maintenance and renovation of the airstrip. The Chinese side began its construction activities after 2002, and that is why the Philippine side regards China’s land reclamation as a violation of the DOC,” he said.
However, China Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying insisted that China’s position on the reclamation is lawful, reasonable and justified activities on relevant maritime features of the Nansha Islands, unlike that Philippines which built an airfield and did other construction works.
“The Chinese side has more than once enunciated its position on carrying out lawful, reasonable and justified construction activities on relevant maritime features of the Nansha Islands. I would like to make the following points with respect to the remarks by the Philippine side,” Hua said.
The Chinese official claimed the Philippine carried out massive construction on these islands and reefs for years, building military and civilian facilities such as airports, docks and barracks.
Meanwhile, Malacañang said they are still pushing for an enforceable Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
“Our country’s position, regarding the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), which President Aquino had expressed several times, the last one was in the 26th ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Summit in Malaysia, is an enforceable Declaration on the Code of Conduct (of Parties in the South China Sea) between China and members of the ASEAN,” said Communication Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr.
Coloma also dared China to prove their allegations. “Whoever said it should prove it (allegations). We have no report on that,” said Coloma.
Coloma also said the Philippines’ stance in dealing with the territorial disputes with China on the South China Sea is to have a rules-based, peaceful and diplomatic approach, which was also supported by members of the ASEAN.
Coloma said the country’s aim is to have the Code of Conduct substance so this would be legally binding and enforceable. “That’s the clear stance of our government,” stressed Coloma.