Think tank says Cayetano, Wang claim on China reclamation 'false'

A Washington-based think tank has belied the claims of Philippine and China foreign ministers that Beijing has stopped its reclamation activities in disputed areas in the South China Sea.

"This is false," the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (AMTI-CSIS) said on Wednesday, referring to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano's claim that Beijing is "not reclaiming land anymore."

Cayetano's statement came after his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, said during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Manila that China is "definitely" not carrying out any reclamation activities.

"China’s own reclamation work did not end in mid-2015 with the completion of its artificial islands in the Spratlys," the think tank countered. 

"Beijing continues to reclaim land farther north, in the Paracel Islands," it added, referring to the part of the South China Sea being claimed by China and Vietnam.

As proof, the think tank released photos, dated August 5, showing China's ongoing reclamation activities.

According to AMTI-CIIS, the two most recent examples of continued reclamation activities by China are at Tree Island and North Island in the Amphitrite Group.

The think tank said, despite China's claim that it stopped its activities in Tree Island in 2015, dredging for a new harbor continued and that it was also able to complete the construction of a helipad and install renewable energy infrastructure like wind turbines.

Meanwhile, China attempted to construct a land bridge to connect North Island to Middle Island in 2016, although it got washed out by a storm, according to the think thank.

According to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, China did not claim that it will not improve the islands it is claiming. He said what China said was that it will not reclaim other parts of disputed territories.

Lorenzana said the Philippines is hoping that China would stop its militarization of the South China Sea.

"Inimprove lang naman nila yung structures nila," Lorenzana said in a report by GMA News' Steve Dailisan on 24 Oras on Thursday.

"We also ask the Foreign Affairs to also protest while they are continuing this improvement."

Cayetano has yet to issue a statement regarding AMTI-CSIS' claim, although he earlier said the Philippines will not surrender its sovereignty to China with regards to the South China Sea issue.