Move is something that Philippines should watch out for, says Defense official
China’s decision to build two lighthouses on at least two reefs being claimed by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea (WPS ) could be part of a bigger facility, presumably military, that other claimant nations should watch out for, according to a top defense official.
Arsenio Andolong, director of the public affairs service at the Department of National Defense, said that while Chinese lighthouses on the reefs posed no threat, the ultimate purpose for which these were built was worrisome.
Andolong was reacting to a report from the Chinese state-owned Xinhua agency yesterday which said China will construct two lighthouses s on Cuarteron (Calderon) and Johnson South (Mabini) Reef .
The reefs are within the Kalayaan Island Group which the Philippines is claiming as part of her territories.
The two lighthouses are two 50 meters high with a diameter of 4.5 meters. It has a light range of 22 nautical miles (40.744 km).
Andolong said that lighthouses were supposedly for navigational purposes. However, the Philippines and other claimants to the WPS should look at the context of what these lighthouses will play in terms of the entire facilities that China is busy constructing on these reefs, he said.
“When they build the lighthouses, of course they’re there for navigation but what facilities are they constructing along with these? That is what we are apprehensive about given their latest activities,” Andolong said.
“These lighthouses are just components of a bigger whole and what the bigger whole will be is something that we have to watch out for,” he stressed.
Andolong said the Philippines noted that the lighthouses on other reefs which China said were necessary for shelter of its fishermen have greatly improved over time.
Andolong said there was supposed to be a status quo in the WPS based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea which was signed by China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
“That means there should be no reclamation activities and you cannot build something that does not exist naturally (after the agreement). Now the DOC is in effect. In essence, they’re violating the agreement which they also signed,” he also said.