China 'only wants to expand' in disputed area

“I’m not very optimistic about whether China is serious on a conclusion of a code of conduct because the aggressive, provocative acts we are seeing now is their way to pursue their expansion agenda,” del Rosario said. He was speaking in the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem) on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) conference yesterday.

“Until this expansion agenda is completed, I don’t see a desire on their part to conclude the code. You complete your expansion agenda [first] because the code of conduct looks forward, it doesn’t look backwards,” he pointed out. China is involved in maritime disputes with neighbouring countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines, over the South China Sea, which is believed to hold vast reserves of oil and natural gas.

The Mabini reef in the South China Sea is the subject of reclamation efforts of China, as seen in a series of aerial photos released by the foreign ministry. The reclamation project is “changing the feature” of the reef turning it into an island.

Nearly 90 per cent of the South China Sea is claimed by China through its nine-dash line, which overlaps with the Philippines 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Philippines has challenged this claim by filing an arbitration case before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (Itlos), which China has refused to participate in.

China recently deployed an oil-drilling rig near the Paracel islands located within Vietnam’s 200 nautical mile EEZ. Vietnam responded by sending ships to block the rig’s path, which resulted in clashes with the Chinese escort vessels. Vietnam has reported that some of its ships had been sunk due to the clashes.

Philippine ships have also been involved in encounters with Chinese ships in Scarborough shoal and in Ayungin shoal. Chinese vessels have reportedly used water cannons to turn away Filipino fishermen.