Philippines relies on China’s good faith amid expansion in SCS

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines will still rely on China’s good faith even as the Asian power has expanded and fortified the islands it is occupying in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea.

Asked to comment on a report from Beijing that it has “reasonably” expanded its man-made islands to boost their defense capabilities, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said: “We don’t know where these works are. We continue to rely on China’s good faith.”

In the report, Beijing said the expansion would also benefit the inhabitants of the islands by providing them with stable power supply and fresh water.

The report, posted on China’s National Marine Data and Information Service and carried by tabloid Global Times, said the construction projects in South China Sea covered about 290,000 square meters this year. The projects supposedly included new facilities for underground storage, administrative buildings and large radar.

“China has accelerated construction and enhanced its military presence on South China Sea islands and shoals over the past year as territorial tensions with neighboring countries are subsiding,” the Global Times, a daily Chinese tabloid, reported.

“Location is material since we do not have claims on all the islands and waters in the disputed area,” Roque added.

China claims about 90 percent of the South China Sea but this is being disputed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

To assert what it called its historic rights in the South China Sea, China has built artificial islands and structures on Kagitingan (Fiery Cross), Panganiban (Mischief), Zamora (Subi), Burgos (Gaven), Kennan (Hughes), Mabini (Johnson) and Calderon (Cuarteron) reefs, areas near Palawan.

China has also installed radars and constructed barracks and airstrips in the disputed areas, raising concerns among its neighbors who are convinced the projects could put regional stability at risk.

An arbitral court based in The Hague invalidated in 2016 China’s massive nine-dash line claim in a case filed by Manila in 2013.

In the same ruling, the arbitral tribunal also upheld the Philippines’ maritime entitlements in the West Philippine Sea.

China has refused to recognize the decision, calling it “illegal since day one” and “a mere piece of paper.”