China wants PH to vacate Pag-asa island: analyst
05/07/2015 5:02 PMABS-CBNnews.com
MANILA - China is planning to seize control of Pag-asa Island (Thitu
Island) in the West Philippine Sea by asking the Philippine government
to leave, a local security analyst said Thursday.
Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, head of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR), told a Senate hearing that China's reclamation work in the South China Sea is a form of "precision asymmetric warfare" that intends to shut out other claimants in the disputed territories.
He said Pag-asa Island is outside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but is part of the Kalayaan group of islands. "This is one reason why China is doing reclamation work in the area," he said.
"They have the intention to ask the Philippine government to vacate Pag-asa Island," he told senators.
Banlaoi's statement backs a previous China Daily Mail report in 2014 that said the Chinese Navy has drawn a detailed combat plan to seize the island last year and force Philippine personnel and facilities to withdraw.
Pag-Asa Island is the seat of Kalayaan town of Palawan that has jurisdiction over the Philipine-held territory in the disputed region, claimed in whole or in part by China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
The Philippines has built a town hall, a 1.3-kilometer airstrip, a naval station, a health center and a kindergarten school there.
Asked if China aims to invade Philippine territory, he said: "In my opinion, China has no intention to invade other countries but they want to use their own existing resources in the South China Sea in preparation for the future battle and that future battle is called the air sea battle with major powers."
Sen. Antonio Trillanes noted the reclaimed territories could be used by Beijing as "forward bases."
In his presentation, Banlaoi said China's reclamation activities "run counter to the many security that aim to build confidence among claimants and stakeholders" in the South China Sea.
He noted that in the academic community, the Chinese academic community is being encouraged to use the "U-shaped line" to describe Beijing's territorial claims after the "9-dash-line" became controversial.
Banlaoi said the People's Liberation Army has also developed an air-sea battle concept "to ensure operational freedom in regional common spaces" and deny access to sea and air expeditionary forces in the waters near China.
The security analyst said China's reclamation activities provides the Philippines stronger reasons to pursue the immediate establishment of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
He said that while the Code of Conduct will not settle territorial or maritime disputes, "it can promote...order at sea particularly in the contested West Philippine Sea."
"By pursuing land reclamation activities, not only China is undermining international arbitration but it is also making it utterly difficult for the tribunal to fulfill its duties to determine the legal status of these geographic and maritime features because from low tide elevation and submerged features many of the features that have been described before as submerged have already been changed with the creation of artificial islands or geographic features," he said.
Banlaoi urged lawmakers to pass the Philippine maritime zone act, which defines the Philippine maritime territories in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as the National Defense and Security Act.
He said the Philippine Senate should have a counterpart measure on a House bill seeking P1 billion fund for improvement of Philippine facilities in the West Philippine Sea including repair of the runway on Pag-Asa island.
Prof. Rommel Banlaoi, head of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research (PIPVTR), told a Senate hearing that China's reclamation work in the South China Sea is a form of "precision asymmetric warfare" that intends to shut out other claimants in the disputed territories.
He said Pag-asa Island is outside the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) but is part of the Kalayaan group of islands. "This is one reason why China is doing reclamation work in the area," he said.
"They have the intention to ask the Philippine government to vacate Pag-asa Island," he told senators.
Banlaoi's statement backs a previous China Daily Mail report in 2014 that said the Chinese Navy has drawn a detailed combat plan to seize the island last year and force Philippine personnel and facilities to withdraw.
Pag-Asa Island is the seat of Kalayaan town of Palawan that has jurisdiction over the Philipine-held territory in the disputed region, claimed in whole or in part by China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.
The Philippines has built a town hall, a 1.3-kilometer airstrip, a naval station, a health center and a kindergarten school there.
Asked if China aims to invade Philippine territory, he said: "In my opinion, China has no intention to invade other countries but they want to use their own existing resources in the South China Sea in preparation for the future battle and that future battle is called the air sea battle with major powers."
Sen. Antonio Trillanes noted the reclaimed territories could be used by Beijing as "forward bases."
In his presentation, Banlaoi said China's reclamation activities "run counter to the many security that aim to build confidence among claimants and stakeholders" in the South China Sea.
He noted that in the academic community, the Chinese academic community is being encouraged to use the "U-shaped line" to describe Beijing's territorial claims after the "9-dash-line" became controversial.
Banlaoi said the People's Liberation Army has also developed an air-sea battle concept "to ensure operational freedom in regional common spaces" and deny access to sea and air expeditionary forces in the waters near China.
The security analyst said China's reclamation activities provides the Philippines stronger reasons to pursue the immediate establishment of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.
He said that while the Code of Conduct will not settle territorial or maritime disputes, "it can promote...order at sea particularly in the contested West Philippine Sea."
"By pursuing land reclamation activities, not only China is undermining international arbitration but it is also making it utterly difficult for the tribunal to fulfill its duties to determine the legal status of these geographic and maritime features because from low tide elevation and submerged features many of the features that have been described before as submerged have already been changed with the creation of artificial islands or geographic features," he said.
Banlaoi urged lawmakers to pass the Philippine maritime zone act, which defines the Philippine maritime territories in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as the National Defense and Security Act.
He said the Philippine Senate should have a counterpart measure on a House bill seeking P1 billion fund for improvement of Philippine facilities in the West Philippine Sea including repair of the runway on Pag-Asa island.
No comments:
Post a Comment