The Philippines announced that it plans to file a lawsuit against China, which it accuses of destroying coral reefs within the exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
In his statement yesterday, Philippine Justice Minister Jesus Crispin Remulla made evaluations about the coral reefs located within the exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea.
Remulla claimed that they had evidence that China was destroying coral reefs and said that they would pursue the case against China.
Stating that the case has no connection with the territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea, Remulla emphasized that “the destruction of the environment is a sin against humanity.”
Call from China to “stop creating political drama”
On the other hand, speaking at the press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning called on the Philippines to “stop creating political drama” and noted that their accusations “have no basis in reality.”
Drawing attention to the warship on the reef under the control of the Philippines, called “Ayungin” by the Filipinos and “Rinai” by the Chinese, Mao said, “If the Philippines really cares about the ecological environment of the South China Sea, it should immediately remove the warship illegally grounded in Rinai Ciao.” “It should not allow the corroding warship to cause irreversible damage to the ocean.” he said.
Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard Command, announced on September 18 that the report examining the marine life in the disputed waters “reveals the great damage to the seabed, marine environment and coral reefs of Rozul Reef and Escoda Shallow.”
Tarriela emphasized that there was a very strong possibility of “waste dumping” in the region, and stated that in the same period, the presence of approximately 45 Chinese ships was detected around the researched areas.
South China Sea dispute
The South China Sea has been the subject of sovereignty disputes since the littoral countries gained their independence after World War II.
China claims sovereignty over 80 percent of the South China Sea with the map it first published in 1947. Coastal neighboring countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia also claim rights in the region.
The United States, as well as regional countries, oppose China’s construction of military bases on disputed islands in the region and its long-term maintenance of civilian ship fleets.
It is observed that the USA has recently increased its military patrol and navigation activities, called “Freedom of Navigation Operations” (FONP), in the region against the increasing presence of China.
The opinions expressed herein are the author’s and not necessarily those of News2Sea.
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