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By Roy Mabasa
An expert in international maritime law from the University of the Philippines (UP) called on the government to protest against China's latest action in the western Philippine Sea after the official announcement by Beijing of the installation of weather stations on the Spratlys.
University of the Philippines Diliman | Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
"The Philippines should protest China's latest move, as it resolutely inscribes itself in the broader effort to claim long-term China's claims to sovereignty / rights, and unilaterally impose its position to other coastal states, "said Jay Batongbacal, director of the UP Institute for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (IMLOS), said Tuesday morning in a message posted on his account on the networks social.
Batongbacal was responding to earlier statements by Malacanang and the Foreign Ministry that they were checking information on weather systems in at least three areas of the Spratlys – Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs.
"China has officially announced the installation of weather stations on its artificial islands of Spratlys at the press conference of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 1 November. There is no reason to doubt and "verify" this information since it is an official announcement by MOFA spokesman, "Batongbacal said.
According to Batongabacal, the latest actions in Beijing "should be seen in the context of the ongoing development and improvement of military bases in the artificial islands of China and in the continuation of their efforts to gain de facto control of the SCS. , including the west of the Philippines. Sea."
"Although they can provide public goods, they are part of their primary role in China's military bases. They are also used for military purposes, as all major / important military bases have their own weather services to support their usual military operations such as the launching and landing of aircraft and ships, "added the expert in maritime law.
In addition, Batongbacal said that these latest developments in the region should also be considered "in the broader context of the Chinese attempt to administer and control activities in the SCS: they are supposed to contribute to longer-term efforts to argue rights / exercise sovereignty over the SCS. "
"The acceptance of these" public goods "could be considered as an acquiescence in the Chinese civil administration and the control of this maritime region," he said.
On Monday, the FDFA said it was still checking that China had installed weather observation stations in the western Philippine Sea and that it would only take appropriate measures "that Once these have been validated ".
Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing that the three-zone structures would be used primarily "to ensure safe navigation in the South China Sea". .
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