China seen risking naval confrontation with Spratly claimants

MANILA, Philippines - China appears to be risking an open confrontation with Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan with its announcement of a plan to build air and naval bases on the reclaimed Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, Kalayaan island town Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon Jr. said yesterday.

“Do you think Vietnam, as well as Taiwan and Malaysia, will just take it sitting down? These countries have occupied areas in the region that are very close to those that are being occupied and being reclaimed by China,” Bito-onon said.

He said China is even eyeing an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the area.

Taiwan earlier announced it was considering deploying armed vessels to its occupied Itu Aba, the biggest island in the disputed region.

Malaysia also operates a naval base and airfield on Layang-Layang, which it has converted into a dive resort. 

Vietnam, on the other hand, has reportedly ordered six Kilo-class submarines from Russia for deployment to the disputed waters. Three of the subs have reportedly been delivered.

Long before China started developing Kagitingan Reef, Bito-onon had sounded the alarm over Beijing’s plan to build a naval base in the area, which is only 117 nautical miles from his island town.

Bito-onon clarified that while Kagitingan Reef is outside the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, it is considered part of Kalayaan under Presidential Decree 1596 issued by then President Ferdinand Marcos in 1978. Kalayaan is a fifth class municipality covered by Palawan.