China to build lighthouses in Spratlys – report

The alleged on-going reclamation of Subi Reef by China is seen from Pag-asa Island in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, western Palawan Province, Philippines Monday, May 11, 2015. AP FILE PHOTO

CHINA will construct two lighthouses in the Spratly Islands (Kalayaan Island Group) in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea), Chinese state media reported.

A report from Xinhua said the a groundbreaking ceremony was hosted by China’s Ministry of Transport (MOT) for the construction of two lighthouses on Cuarteron (Calderon)  and Johnson South (Mabini) Reef on Tuesday.

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 kilometers).

“In order to enhance the civil aids to navigation capacity in the waters of Nansha Islands, the MOT plans to construct two multi-functional lighthouses, which will provide efficientnavigation service to the passing vessels and “immensely improve the navigation safety” in the South China Sea, according to a statement from the MOT,” the report said.

Arsenio Andolong, public affairs service director, said that the construction is a violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed in 2002, which required the claimants not to make activities that would raise tensions in the disputed waterway.

“To put it simply, there is supposed to be a status quo that means there should be no reclamation activities and you cannot build something that does not exist naturally…Now the DOC is in effect, in essence they are violating the agreement, which they signed also,” he said.

China claims most parts of the South China Sea, believed to be rich in oil and gas and at the same time a major fishing ground.

Reclamation activities of China, which appears to be military installations, have also made a rapid progress in recent months.

“Lighthouses themselves pose no threat. However, the facilities that they will be standing on are another issue. What do you need lighthouses for? Syempre for navigation, but of course if you decide to use the rest of the facilities for something else, medyo ibang usapan yun. Ano yung purpose ng facility na yun,” Andolong said.

“When they build the lighthouses, of course, they’re there for navigation, but what facilities are they constructing along with these? And that is what we are apprehensive about. Given their latest activities, we can only speculate. We must also be wary as to the ultimate purpose,” he said.

Andolong said they are continuing to keep track of China’s activities in the disputed seas.

“We’ve chosen the diplomatic track. What we can do is bring the issue to the international community and it will become part of our report to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea,” he said. AC

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