China claims to build islands in Truong Sa to 'protect the environment'
China's Foreign Ministry brazenly declared that the illegal reclamation and renovation of artificial islands in Truong Sa will improve environmental protection capabilities.
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China reclaimed and renovated Subi Reef, Truong Sa archipelago, under Vietnam's sovereignty. Photo: CSIS |
Hong Lei, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on May 6 that China's island reclamation activities will "significantly enhance its environmental protection capabilities." Measures such as sand dredging, coral crushing, and island building "have been carefully calculated," according to Xinhua.
American marine experts have accused China of causing serious damage to coral reefs in the South China Sea. The Philippines also claims that China is destroying the ecological environment in the Spratly Islands.
On May 5, a group of Filipino youths accused the Chinese government of poisoning a large area in the South China Sea to prevent Filipino and foreign fishermen from exploiting resources.
"When we were there last year, local residents confirmed to us that Chinese vessels regularly discharge chemicals to destroy corals and marine life," Breibart reported on May 5, citing the Kalayaan Atin Ito (KAI) Movement, a Philippine youth organization.
In July 2015, Antonio Carpio, Associate Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, issued a statement accusing China of destroying 17 reefs near Vietnam's Spratly Islands while illegally building artificial islands there. "Although they occupied 7 reefs, they used materials from 10 other reefs to fill them, so in effect China destroyed a total of 17 reefs," Carpio accused.
China has overlapping claims in the East Sea with ASEAN countries, namely the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei. In recent years, China has been accused of being increasingly assertive in its behavior in the East Sea. This country has illegally reclaimed artificial islands, built runways, radar stations and illegal lighthouses in Truong Sa, seriously violating Vietnam's sovereignty.
According to VNE