China occupying Philippine reef in Spratlys: Ramos
China occupying Philippine reef in Spratlys: Ramos
MANILA (AFP): President Fidel Ramos said yesterday that China
has deployed warships and built structures on a coral reef
claimed by the Philippines in the disputed Spratly islands. He
said Manila would soon lodge a diplomatic protest with Beijing.
"The Department of National Defense has verified that vessels
from the People's Republic of China are presently in the vicinity
of Panganiban reef in the Kalayaan Island Group," Ramos said,
referring to the Spratly islands claimed by the Philippines.
"Certain structures have also been built on Panganiban Reef
and we have pictures of this," he said in his weekly news
conference.
He said reconnaissance missions over the area reported the
presence of Chinese warships as well as "steel-supported
structures" on the coral reef.
Ramos said Manila "views these actions taken by elements
identified with the People's Republic of China as inconsistent
with international law and the spirit and intent of the 1992
Manila ASEAN declaration on the South China Sea."
Ramos said the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA)
has already submitted a "very firm aide memoire" to the Chinese
ambassador in Manila before the filing of a formal protest.
Chinese embassy spokesmen were not immediately available for
comment, but Beijing has earlier denied the reports.
The Manila declaration was signed by the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as well as China and other
Spratlys claimants adhering to joint development in the area and
peaceful dialogue to solve the dispute.
Ramos said the Philippines also "has reason to believe" claims
by a group of Filipino fishermen, who said they were detained by
Chinese troops on a shoal in the area for one week last month.
The Spratlys, a string of small islands in the South China
Sea, are being claimed in whole or in part by ASEAN members
Brunei, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well as by China,
Vietnam and Taiwan. ASEAN also groups Indonesia, Thailand and
Singapore.
All claimants but Brunei have stationed troops on the islands
-- believed to be sitting atop vast deposits of oil and natural
gas -- making it a potential flashpoint for regional conflict.
China routed the Vietnamese navy in a brief naval battle in
the Spratlys in the late 1970s.
The Philippines, which has the weakest navy and air force
among all the claimants, insists that the conflicting claims be
solved peacefully.