Philippines to protest China’s plan to build on disputed shoal

The Philippines plans to file a strong protest against China after it announced preparatory work for an environmental monitoring station on a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, a Cabinet minister said on Tuesday.

China five years ago started blockading the Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop within the Philippines’ 200 mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), and the United States has warned Beijing against carrying out the land reclamation work there.

Justice Minister Vitaliano Aguirre told reporters Manila would file a complaint against Beijing’s plan to install a radar station on Scarborough Shoal.

“The case which will be filed is fairly strong I think,” he said.

The Philippines would take necessary action to defend and protect the country’s sovereignty and entitlements in the disputed maritime borders, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

“President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly asserted that the Philippines is not giving up its claims and our entitlements over the area,” he said.

The mayor in charge of administration of disputed South China Sea islands and reefs China controls last week said preparatory work was being planned this year to build monitoring stations on a number of islands.