Push Admin

Solons back proposal to penalize Chinese firms in West PH Sea reclamation

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/news/08/30/hughes.jpg"/><figcaption>The Hughes Reef in the South China Sea, as developed by China. Construction on Hughes Reef began in summer 2014. What was once a 380-square-meter concrete platform on stilts has been expanded to a 75,000-square-meter island through dredging and reclamation activity. Photo Credit: CSIS Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative / DigitalGlobe</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA - Lawmakers on Sunday backed the proposal of the country&#x27;s top diplomat to terminate projects of Chinese firms involved in West Philippine Sea reclamation projects.The move is similar to the US&#x27; imposition of sanctions and restrictions last week on 24 state-owned Chinese companies for taking part in building artificial islands in the disputed waters.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/08/26/20/us-blacklists-chinese-companies-individuals-for-south-china-sea-work">US blacklists Chinese companies, individuals for South China Sea work</a></li></ul>Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate and Samar 1st District Rep. Edgar Sarmiento, in separate statements, expressed support for Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr&#x27;s recommendation.&quot;This move should also include the Chinese companies involved in onerous deals like the Kaliwa Dam and Chico Dam projects, which will only bury the country to a debt quicksand,&quot; Zarate and Bayan Muna chairman Neri Colmenares added.Left-leaning groups have questioned the Kaliwa Dam project in Quezon as it would displace thousands of indigenous people. President Rodrigo Duterte, however, assured the public that government would pay and relocate individuals who would be displaced by the project.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/13/20/china-calls-kaliwa-dam-project-a-great-achievement-in-ph">China calls Kaliwa Dam project a &#x27;great achievement&#x27; in PH</a></li></ul>The legality of the Chico Dam project, a $62-million loan from China, has been questioned before the Supreme Court as it may allegedly cause the seizure of Philippine assets in the South China Sea if Manila reneged on payment for the project.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/23/19/carpio-china-could-seize-gas-in-reed-bank-if-ph-unable-to-pay-loan">Carpio: China could seize gas in Reed Bank if PH unable to pay loan</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/10/19/supreme-court-asks-govt-to-respond-to-petition-vs-china-loan-deal">Supreme Court asks gov’t to respond to petition vs China loan deal</a></li></ul>Sen. Imee Marcos, meantime, opposed penalizing Chinese firms, saying that even Duterte admitted he was &quot;inutile&quot; against aggression in the West Philippine Sea.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/27/20/duterte-i-am-inutile-in-face-of-chinese-aggression-in-s-china-sea">Duterte says he is ‘inutile, cannot do anything’ against China sea aggression</a></li></ul>“Bakit naman tayo magtatapang-tapangan kung wala naman tayong ibubuga. Mahirap naman kung hindi mo puwedeng pangatawanan,” she said in an online forum.(Why would we act tough when we have no power? It&#x27;s hard to do if we can&#x27;t commit.)“There is no strategic consensus (among government agencies) on what should be done in the South China Sea. Walang kaplano-plano. Ano ba naman tayo, kalaki ng bunganga, hindi naman pala nagkakaisa. So it’s very important to get our acts together kung anong magagawa.&quot;(We have no plans. We&#x27;re all talk but we&#x27;re not united. So it’s very important to get our acts together on what can be done.)<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/28/20/duterte-guidance-sought-in-airport-deal-with-us-banned-chinese-firm">Duterte guidance sought in airport deal with US-banned Chinese firm</a></li></ul>China&#x27;s sweeping claims over almost the entire South China Sea, where it reclaimed disputed features and fortified those with military installations, has been invalidated by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016.China, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan have overlapping claims in the international waterway believed to be rich not only of marine resources but also of gas and mineral.<div>--With reports from Michael Delizo, ABS-CBN News</div>

Lawmakers on Sunday backed the proposal of the country's top diplomat to terminate projects of Chinese firms involved in West Philippine Sea reclamation projects.

Lawmakers on Sunday backed the proposal of the country's top diplomat to terminate projects of Chinese firms involved in West Philippine Sea reclamation projects.