DND mum on China plan to build lighthouses

MANILA, Philippines - The Defense department kept mum on China’s plan to build lighthouses on five disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

“Right now, the Department of Foreign Affairs is looking into that, looking into where these lighthouses will be positioned,” Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said during the change of command ceremony at Western Command in Palawan.

“We have not determined that yet so we cannot comment on it,” he added.

Previous reports said China is planning to construct lighthouses on five islands in the West Philippine Sea, the subject of a territorial row in the region.

At least two of the islands – Drummond Island and Pyramid Rock – are in Paracels, an area also claimed by Vietnam and Taiwan.

Other areas that are reportedly being considered as sites of the lighthouses are North Reef, Antelope Reef,  and South Sand.

Reports about China’s plan to build lighthouses came even as the United States called for the freezing of activities that could cause tensions including the construction of structures. The Philippines, the most vocal critic of China’s expansion, has backed the US’ proposal.

Officials are still determining whether China’s plan will cover areas that are located in Philippine waters.

The Philippines has called for measures to de-escalate the tensions and has been pushing for a binding code of conduct for claimants in the West Philippine Sea.

“We should take measures that would de-escalate, to manage the tension, to create the atmosphere that would lead to an eventual resolution of the dispute,” Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said in an earlier press briefing.

China claims about 90 percent of the potentially-oil and gas-rich West Philippine Sea while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan have overlapping claims.