Palace still trusts China won’t embark on new reclamation

FILE: Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque (PCOO Photo)

MANILA — Malacanang on Tuesday said the Philippines was still relying on China’s good faith that the Chinese government would not embark on new reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made this reaction when asked to comment on the reported airbase with military facilities and hospital that China built in the Kagitingan Reef or Fiery Cross Reef.

“When we say we are relying on China’s good faith, it is because China has committed not to embark on new reclamations,” Roque said during Palace briefing.

Roque explained that Kagitingan is one of the islands that China had already reclaimed and subject of the arbitral tribunal’s decision that the island is within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“So when we invoke the good faith of China, it is against making further reclamations and not making further works on islands that it had already reclaimed,” Roque said.

“So I hope that is very clear. So the good faith we’re relying on is the commitment of China not to embark on new reclamations,” he added.

Roque, however, agreed with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana who said that the Philippines would file a diplomatic protest if China had indeed built airbase with military facilities in the Kagitingan island.

“Of course, that’s the proper remedy ‘no. But that’s something that the Department of Foreign Affairs will have to address,” Roque said.

Roque said if China would militarize the island, it would constitute a “further threat to peace and security in the area.”

“But the point is, has there been a breach of Chinese commitment not to reclaim any new islands or shoals in the area? For as long as there is none, then we continue to respect that they are true to their commitment not to do so,” he explained.

He also explained “from the very beginning China, we knew, was militarizing the area by reclaiming these areas and by using them as military bases.”

“So the fact that they are actually using it now as military bases, as far as I’m concerned, is not new, new. It’s not news. Because we’ve always been against the militarization of the area. But the good faith commitment is not to reclaim new islands. I hope that’s very clear,” he added.

On the reported China’s plan to deploy nuclear platforms in Chinese-controlled islands in the South China Sea before 2020, Roque said “that would be probably the subject of a separate protest as contrary to the sovereign rights of the Philippines.”