The Philippines protest against the plan of China for a nature reserve in a disputed top

Manila, Philippines – The Philippines protested a plan of China on Thursday to establish a nature reserve in one of the most disputed highlands of the Southern China Sea and asked that Beijing immediately withdraws it.

The Chinese Council of State announced on Wednesday the approval of a plan aimed at creating a national nature reserve at the Shoal of Scarborough. The objective is to protect a coral reef, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

The Scarborough speaker is one of the many islands of the Southern China Sea, islets and reefs that are claimed by China and its neighbors, notably the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. His Filipino name is the Bajo de Masinloc.

Manila’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that a diplomatic demonstration was underway “against this illegitimate and illegal action of China, as it clearly relates to the rights and interests of the Philippines in accordance with international law.”

“The Philippines urges China to respect the sovereignty and jurisdiction of the Philippines on Bajo de Masinloc, refrain from enforcing and immediately withdrawing its publication from the Council of State and complying with its obligations under international law,” said the Foreign Affairs Department in a press release.

The Philippines said that any Chinese construction in Scarborough, which, according to Beijing, Manila and Taiwan, would all be a red line.

The Chinese Council of State declared Wednesday in its opinion that “the creation of the national nature reserve of the island of the Huangyan Island is an important guarantee for maintaining the diversity, stability and sustainability of the natural ecosystem of Huangyan Island”.

According to the press release, the nature reserve is located in the most southern island city of Sansha, province of Hainan, and covers an area of ​​3,523.67 hectares (8,705 acres). In the press release, the administration also joined a map showing the territory marked out for the reserve, almost the northeast side of the island.

The Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Romualdez, a vocal critic of the increasingly assertive actions of China in the Southern China Sea, said that Beijing represents his plan as an environmental protection effort, “it is obviously another maneuver from China to justify their 10 -year waiting line”, which was referred to Plants Strategic waterways, which refer to claims by China.

China said Thursday in response to the Philippine criticism that the island is “its inherent territory”.

“The creation of a natural reserve at the national level on Huangyan Island is located in Chinese sovereignty,” said Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “China does not accept the unreasonable accusations and manifestations of the Philippines, and urges the Philippine part to stop its offenses and provocations.”

The Scarborough speaker has been the scene of frequent confrontations between Chinese and Filipino ships in recent years, because the two are trying to enforce their claims on the territory. A Chinese navy ship accidentally collided with a Chinese coast guard ship last month as it was trying to block a Coast Guard ship near Scarborough Shoal.

The United States has no complaints in disputed waters, but have repeatedly warned that it was forced to defend the Philippines, a long-standing ally of the treaty, if the Filipino, ships or planes are subject to an armed attack, including in the Southern China Sea.

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The writer after Huizhong Wu in Bangkok contributed to this report.

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