On China expansion: DND knows, Palace doesn’t

After reports of China expanding its military presence and improving its construction projects in its man-made islands along the South China Sea, Malacañang dismissed any awareness of these ‘works’ while Department of National Defense (DND) claimed knowledge of it.

Harry Roque, Presidential spokesman who was asked regarding the issue, told the media in a text message on December 25, “We don’t know where these works are. We continue to rely on China’s good faith.”

In contrary, DND Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told PhilStar that they are aware of China’s activities and that the government has a “West Philippine Sea Task Force” in-charged of monitoring the development in the disputed waters.

“Of course! We have known where they reclaimed and what improvements they have been doing,” Lorenzana said in the same interview.

“The latest report was that the Chinese continue to improve their reclaimed islands – two are within our EEZ (exclusive economic zone) and one in the Kalayaan Island Group,” he added.

Chinese state-run newspaper Global Times reported on Monday that China has “reasonably expanded” its area of control in South China Sea islands of about 290,000 square meters.

Chen Xiangmiao, a research fellow with the National Institute for the South China Sea told Global Times that civilian facilities in its man-made islands not only improved the public service capacity of China but “also maintained its sovereignty over the islands.”

“The relationship between China and other Southeast Asia country, such as the Philippines, has calmed in recent years, providing a golden opportunity for China to upgrade these areas,” Chen further said in the same interview.

“The size of some South China Sea Islands will be further expanded in the future with more dredging vessels, such as the Tiankun working on the land reclamation projects in the South China Sea region, adding that a regional transportation network in South China Sea has also begun to shape up in recent years. Over 680 flights have taken off from Yongxing airport since the end of 2016,” said Chen as quoted from the Global Times.

Beijing said that these activities are to provide search-and-rescue services but admitted military purpose as well. China also said that it can do whatever it wants on its territory.