Members of a political party allied with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III marked the country’s Independence Day on Thursday by protesting China’s moves to reclaim land in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, where the two countries are locked in a territorial dispute.
.Filipinos wave Philippine flags following flag raising rites to celebrate the 116th anniversary of Philippine independence Thursday, June 12, 2014, in Manila, Philippines.
About 200 members and supporters of the Akbayan Party protested peacefully at the Chinese Consulate in Manila on the 116th anniversary of Philippine independence from Spanish colonialism to “assert sovereignty” over the disputed area.
China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, including the potentially resource-rich Spratly Islands chain, where it has overlapping claims with the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam. Disputes among China, Vietnam and the Philippines have intensified this year.
The Spratlys are mostly barren islands, reefs and atolls that are believed to be atop oil and natural gas deposits. They also straddle one of the world’s busiest sea lanes.
“The increasing aggression of the Chinese government in the West Philippine Sea is a direct affront to the Philippines’ independence and sovereignty,” Rafaela David, head of Akbayan’s youth arm, said in a statement, using the Philippine name for the disputed area. “We strongly urge the public to wage a new revolution against China’s aggression and expansionism.”
It was the latest anti-China protest at the Chinese Consulate staged by the group. Last month, members of the party and local Vietnamese residents held a joint protest following the deployment of a Chinese oil rig close to the Paracel Islands, which are claimed by Vietnam.
At a separate Independence Day rally, former Congressman Teddy Casino, a leader of the left-wing New Patriotic Alliance, said the group rejects “incursions of China in our Exclusive Economic Zone,” but also opposes a new agreement that will allow U.S. troops to establish facilities inside Philippine military bases.
“All these are threats to our independence and sovereignty and we are here to defend them,” he said.
In April, the Philippines protested Chinese land reclamation at the Johnson South Reef.
Last week, Aquino said he was “bothered” by the presence of Chinese vessels capable of reclaiming land in the vicinity of two other Chinese-occupied reefs in the Spratlys called Cuarteron and Gaven, which are also claimed by the Philippines. Philippine military officials later said reclamation was underway at the two reefs.
China has maintained it has sovereignty over the reefs and ignored Manila’s protests.
Đăng ký: VietNam News