IN PHOTOS: Pre- and post-reclamation in Spratlys
MANILA, Philippines - China is currently conducting massive reclamation activities on seven reefs - Fiery Cross Reef, Cuarteron Reef, Gaven Reef, Johnson South Reef, McKennan Reef, Mischief Reef and Subi Reef - across the South China Sea.
The Philippines earlier filed an arbitration case against China before the United Nations, questioning the latter's nine-dash line claim.
Two of the said reefs - Fiery Cross Reef and Cuarteron Reef - is outside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone but lies within its continental shelf.
The Philippines asked the tribunal not to rule which state owns the islands but to decide the extent of its maritime entitlements over the islands or rocks.
China noted that the purpose of the reclamation activities was for their military defense.
"The primary purpose of these activities is to improve the working and living conditions of personnel stationed there, to better fulfill our international obligations concerning maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention, and mitigation, and to enable China to provide better services to vessels from China, her neighbors, and other countries sailing in the South China Sea," China deputy representative to the United Nations Wang Min said.
Last Monday, Supreme Court senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio gave a talk on the rule of law and the South China Sea dispute.
Carpio stressed that the South China Sea dispute is rooted from China's nine-dash line claim which takes up the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
China considers the nine-dash line as its national boundary. Carpio noted that the maritime dispute may overturn the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which is the constitution for the oceans and seas.
With this, Carpio presented the state of China's reclamation activities which are reported to be finished within "upcoming days."
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