China is Dredging 10 Reefs to Provide Filling Materials for Artificial Islands

The Chinese government through their expansion program in the South China Sea is dredging 10 reefs to provide filling material for their artificial islands which is being built on seven reefs in the West Philippine Sea as confirmed by Supreme Court Assistant Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

China Dredging

According to Justice Carpio who revealed the activities of China during the forum “Perspectives on Issues Involving the West Philippine Sea,” which was held in Camp Aguinaldo, revealed the extent of China’s land reclamation activities and the legal implications of these on countries with territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The Philippines is not the only country that claimed some parts of the South China Sea, the countries of Brunie, Malaysia, Vietnam also claims parts of South China Sea, which China insists that 90% of it belongs to their territory.

The Supreme Court Justice also urged the International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) to assume jurisdiction over the complaint filed by the Philippines against China to preserve the integrity of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

China is currently building artificial islands at Kagitingan Reef (international name: Fiery Cross Reef), Calderon Reef (Cuarteron Reef), Burgos Reef (Gaven Reef), Mabini Reef (Johnson South Reef), McKeenan Reef (Hughes Reef), Panganiban Reef (Mischief Reef) and Zamora Reef (Subi Reef), all of these reefs are located in the West Philippine Sea and within 370-kilometer Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines recognized under UNCLOS.

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