The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) already released the photos of the controversial Mabini Reef (Johnson South Reef) in Spratly Group of Islands located in the West Philippine Sea, showing China’s reclamation activities in the disputed area.
The photo of Mabini Reef was released by the Philippine government on Thursday, May 15, 2014 and was poste d in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, one of the country’s largest daily newspaper.
The DFA also posted the following statement upon release of the set of photographs: “This series of photographs, which were released by the DFA and gathered from Philippine intelligence sources, shows in stages the extensive reclamation by China on Mabini Reef (Johnson South Reef),” the DFA state.
The agency added further that “These actions are considered destabilizing and in violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and international law,” it said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Wednesday that the Philippines had filed a diplomatic protest against China on April 4, 2014 for building a possible airstrip in the hotly-contested area.
For the past few years China continue to assert its claim in the entire South China Sea, including the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (ECC).
Based upon the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippines has the exclusive right of the 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from the baseline. Within this area, the coastal nation has sole exploitation rights over all natural resources.
The Mabini Reef which is now under China’s control is part of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The Chinese have already parts of the Philippine territory such as the Mischief Reef and Scarborough Shoal.
Here’s some photos of Chinese Activities at Mabini Reef:
