Philippine tourists could soon be visiting Thitu, the country’s largest and most vital island in the South China Sea

China and Vietnam have been developing facilities on islands they either occupy or have built from scratch on top of submerged reefs

Thitu is in the Spratlys, just 14 nautical miles from China’s Subi Reef which is home to about 400 individual buildings

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A Philippine Air Force plane on Thitu Island. Photo: Reuters

Published: 3:49pm, 23 Jul 2019Updated: 3:06pm, 13 Dec 2019

The Philippines is considering inviting tourists to its biggest and most strategically important outpost in the South China Sea, part of efforts to assert its claim to sovereignty over some of the world’s most contested islands.

Thitu island in the Spratly archipelago is in the midst of major upgrades to its dilapidated facilities, playing catch-up with China and Vietnam, which have been developing facilities on islands they either occupy or have built from scratch on top of submerged reefs.

“We are on track in rebuilding or repairing our runway in Pagasa,” said Philippine Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, referring to Thitu, some 280 nautical miles off the Philippine coast. “Plus, in the future, we will be building structures for our troops there and maybe some hotels for Filipinos who would like to go there as tourists.”

A beaching ramp is being created to allow construction materials and heavy equipment to be moved to the 37-hectare island, home to a handful of soldiers and small a civilian population, who live on government subsidies.

Also being built is a sheltered port for bigger fishing vessels, coastguard boats and navy ships, said National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon.

“We have not abandoned any island, no island was taken from us since 2016 and we are strengthening our positions and possession,” Esperon said.

In the Spratlys, the Philippines occupies nine features, Malaysia controls five, Taiwan has one and Vietnam 27, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.