China, RP open talks on Spratlys

China, RP open talks on Spratlys

BEIJING (Reuter): China and the Philippines opened talks on the disputed Spratly Islands yesterday after Philippine President Fidel Ramos accused Beijing of a military build-up in the South China Sea archipelago.

Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan and his Philippine counterpart, Rodolfo Severino, began the talks at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry and Philippine embassy officials said.

Severino arrived in Beijing on Sunday for annual bilateral consultations on a range of issues, including cultural, economic, political and security, a Philippine embassy spokesman said. He is scheduled to leave tomorrow.

"Security is being emphasized this year because of the Spratly issue," the spokesman said. He could not provide further details.

The Spratlys in the South China Sea are potentially rich in oil and are claimed wholly or in part by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The talks are the first on the Spratlys since the Philippines accused China of building what it said looked like a possible naval support installation over the Mischief Reef, 135 nautical miles west of the southwest Philippine island of Palawan, and of sending armed ships to the area.

Ramos has publicly urged the Chinese to leave and lodged formal diplomatic protests. Philippine lawmakers have called for a military build-up to counter the Chinese presence.

China has said the facilities were built by local Chinese fishing authorities and intended as shelter for fishermen.

Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen said this month development of the reef was non-military and posed no threat to other claimants.