Beijing, China— China has accused the Philippines of violating a 13-year-old informal code of conduct in the South China Sea with its building work on disputed islets, firing back again after repeated criticism of China‘s own construction work.
China and the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed an agreement in 2002 to refrain from occupying uninhabited reefs and shoals in the sea, and from building new structures that would complicate disputes.
In a statement released just before midnight on Monday, China’s Foreign Ministry urged the Philippines to stop its “malicious hyping and provocation” on the dispute, whose basis, it said, was Manila’s illegal occupation of certain Chinese islands.
“The Philippines side has conducted large-scale construction of military and civil facilities including airports, ports and barracks on those islands for many years,” the ministry said.
The statement was issued after the Philippines Foreign Ministry said it was China that had violated the code with its construction.
“China has never, ever taken actions that may complicate and deteriorate the disputes or affect regional peace and stability,” the Chinese ministry said, urging Manila to stop all building work and evacuate its people.
Malacañang has challenged China to prove its allegation. “Whoever said that should prove it. We have no comment on the matter,” Presidential Communications Operations Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said in a Palace news conference yesterday.
Coloma refused to further comment on China’s latest statement and left to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to respond to the issue. (With a report from Genalyn D. Kabiling)
Manila Bulletin
