South China Sea: Philippines sounds alarm about coral reef damage related to Beijing’s reclamation activities

A marine resource assessment conducted in March showed many of Pag-asa’s coral reefs are severely degraded and unusually high piles of debris found around the island indicate that the damage is man-made, according to Professor Jonathan Anticamara of the University of the Philippines’ Institute of Biology.

“While it is not yet 100 per cent certain that the piles of rubble were man-made, the government must still be vigilant,” Anticamara said at a press briefing on Saturday.

“So, if there is one country that we need to hold accountable for the damage to the environment, for our coral reef … that will only be the People’s Republic of China,” Tarriela said.

“And if you are going to ask me now who is our suspect in doing illegal small island reclamation in [Pag-asa’s cays] … there’s no other country that we can pinpoint, no – it’s only the People’s Republic of China.”

Some of the countries with overlapping claims in the region, including China and Vietnam, have transformed reefs in the Spratlys into artificial islands that they have used to construct airstrips, military facilities and ports.

In March, when Anticamara’s research group was conducting its initial studies, journalists witnessed China Coast Guard and militia ships blocking and conducting dangerous manoeuvres against the research team’s vessel.

Anticamara’s group claimed at Saturday’s press briefing that coral reefs in other parts of the country were also experiencing degradation.

A report called “Deep Blue Scars: Environmental Threats to the South China Sea”, released late last year by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, found that over the last 10 years, dredging and landfill operations attributed to