South China Sea: Beijing will ‘respond resolutely’ if Manila builds permanent structure on disputed reef

China says Philippine plan to install permanent facility on Second Thomas Shoal is ‘provocative’, and infringes on its sovereignty

Tensions around the area spiked in recent months as China’s coastguard repeatedly blocked Philippine navy from resupply missions

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China’s foreign ministry has lashed out at a plan by the Philippines to install a permanent facility on the contested Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. Photo: AP

Published: 9:24pm, 29 Dec 2023Updated: 9:35pm, 29 Dec 2023

China warned that it would “respond resolutely” if the Philippines built a permanent structure on a disputed reef in the South China Sea.

Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday that Manila’s plan to establish a permanent base on the Renai Jiao – or Second Thomas Shoal – in the Spratly Islands amounted to “a significant move” that would “seriously infringe on China’s sovereignty”.

“China will respond resolutely to any provocation and infringement and firmly safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” she said.

Clashes between China’s coastguard and the Philippine navy around the Second Thomas Shoal have intensified in recent months, prompting the Philippines to step up plans to strengthen its occupation of the land feature with a potential “civilian structure” like a lighthouse or research centre. The Philippine congress recently allocated funding under its 2024 national budget for the project.

But Mao said the Second Thomas Shoal was an uninhabited reef and the establishment of any permanent structures would be a significant change to the status quo.

“All parties should ensure that the Renai Jiao remains uninhabited without facilities,” she said, citing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, a non-binding agreement China and the Southeast Asian nations signed in 2002.

“[Building a permanent structure] would be a major attempt by the Philippine side to renege on its commitments, change its policy and ruin the unmanned and unbuilt state of the Renai Jiao once again.”

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