‘China’s activities in West Phl Sea violate UNCLOS’

MANILA, Philippines - China’s construction activities in the West Philippine Sea are a violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Malacañang said yesterday.

Speaking to reporters, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said the Philippines has gone to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to protect its maritime entitlements.

“These reclamation activities being undertaken are condemned and protested by other countries who have the same maritime entitlement claims,” he said.

Coloma said the issue on maritime entitlements must be resolved as part of diplomatic and peaceful processes to settle disputes.

The Philippine protests and maritime claims are based on UNCLOS, he added.

Coloma said the Department of National Defense (DND) had been monitoring China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea.

The status quo must be maintained while the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is finalizing the code of conduct, he added.

Coloma said the international community has expressed concern over the construction activities of China.

“We are not alone in calling for these activities to stop,” he said.

DND spokesman Peter Galvez said he has seen photographs of mall-like structures being built in Burgos (Gaven) and Calderon (Cuarteron) Reefs located within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.  – With Alexis Romero