While the Chinese government has been militarizing its man-made islands along the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine President does not find threats in it, saying that it is not intended against the Philippines.
“It’s not intended for us. The contending ideological powers of the world or the geopolitcs has greatly changed. It’s really intended against those who the Chinese think would destroy them and that is America,” President Rodrigo Duterte said in a speech during the 20th anniversary of the Chinese Filipino Business Club, Inc.
According to Duterte, Chinese President Xi Jinping is an honorable man he respects, after claiming talks that China assured that they will not build anything in Scarborough.
The President then went on and pointed fingers to the Aquino administration, saying, “What were they doing during their time? Why did they not start to build things there, structures that China is doing now?”
Earlier this February, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, Jr., just like Duterte, turned his eyes to the past administration.
“As I said this militarization, if you can call it militarization, did not happen during the Duterte administration alone. It’s been long militarized and the question is, ‘what can we do?’ What did the past administration do and what can we do?” Roque said.
Contrary to his statement though, Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) reported in December 2017 that the developments started in early 2017.
(Read: Report negates Palace statement on China militarization)
“These facilities account for about 72 acres, or 290,000 square meters, of new real estate at Fiery Cross, Subi, and Mischief Reefs in the Spratlys, and North, Tree, and Triton Islands in the Paracels,” it read.
The report further read that the Fiery Cross Reef was the most constructed, covering 27 acres or about 110,000 square meters.
The Aquino administration filed a case in 2013 to oppose China’s claim in the South China Sea, but did not stop China’s militarization.
In another statement, Roque also said that one day the Philippines will be grateful to the Chinese for these man-made islands once they ‘leave.’
(Read: PH to thank China for man-made islands when they ‘leave’ — Roque)