Philippine coast guard won’t allow China reclamation at disputed shoal, official says

MANILA - The Philippines said on May 13 that it would keep closer guard over reefs, shoals and islets in its exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, alarmed by reports of new reclamation activities by China, which Beijing denied.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on May 11 said it has deployed a ship to Sabina Shoal, where it accuses China of

building an artificial island

, amid an escalating maritime row. It added that two other vessels are in rotational deployment in the area.

Since the ship deployment in mid-April, the PCG said it has discovered piles of dead and crushed coral that have been dumped on the sandbars of Sabina Shoal, altering their sizes and elevation.

PCG spokesman Jay Tarriela told reporters on May 13 that the coast guard had to make sure it was able to prevent “China from carrying out a successful reclamation in Sabina Shoal”.

China’s Foreign Ministry on May 13 dismissed Manila’s latest accusation as “groundless and pure rumour”.

“Recently, the Philippine side has repeatedly spread rumours, deliberately smeared China and attempted to mislead the international community, which is futile,” ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at a news briefing.

Mr Jonathan Malaya, spokesman for the Philippine National Security Council, said national security chief Eduardo Ano has ordered tighter guard at locations within the country’s 200-nautical mile economic zone.

“No one will guard (these locations) except us. It is our responsibility under international law to guard (them) and ensure that the environment there would not be damaged, and that there won’t be reclamation activities,” he said.

Located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, Sabina Shoal is the rendezvous point for vessels carrying out resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed on a

grounded warship at Second Thomas Shoal

, where Manila and Beijing have had frequent maritime run-ins.

China has carried out extensive land reclamation on some islands in the South China Sea, building air force and other military facilities, causing concern in Washington and around the region.

Mr Tarriela believed the coast guard has been effective in deterring China from carrying out small-scale reclamation.

It has not documented any activity from the Chinese vessels present in Sabina Shoal since it deployed its multi-role response vessel there in mid-April.

“China does not want to get caught,” Mr Tarriela said.

China claims almost all of the vital waterway, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration ruled in 2016 that

Beijing’s claims had no basis under international law

, a decision that China rejects. REUTERS