Palace defends Philippine construction in Spratlys

[mamiyapis]

When the truth is stranger than fiction, and most commentators have been out of the loop. The truth is finally out. Construction has been going on for the better part of a year... preparations for this move, happened the previous year.

Palace defends Philippine construction in Spratlys

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/05/27/Palace-harry-roque-spratlys-construction-amti.html

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 27) — The Palace defends the construction and repairs on Pag-asa island reported by a U.S.-based think tank.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said these repairs fall within the Philippines' mandate.

"Repair of port facilities in Pag-asa is consistent with our national sovereignty and jurisdiction," Roque said in a statement Saturday.

Satellite photos from a the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) showed the Philippines is doing its own repairs on occupied islands in the Spratlys....

...The AMTI on Saturday reported that the Philippines has been repairing the runways on Pag-asa Island (international name: Thitu Island).

"Thitu sits just over 12 nautical miles from China's air and naval base at Subi Reef, and was the site of a tense standoff with a Chinese flotilla last August," the AMTI said.

READ: Alejano: Chinese vessels seen near Pag-asa islands

AMTI satellite photos from May 17 showed two dredging vessels found west of Pag-asa island, fixing the collapsed airplane runway...

...The dredging, it added, is needed to allow larger vessels carrying heavy machinery and construction materials to approach the island...

...Satellite photos also featured new construction in other Philippine occupied features in the Spratlys, namely Rizal Reef (international name: Commodore reef), Lawak Island (international name: Nanshan island) and Panata Island (international name: Loaita cay) within the year.

[markotrp]

"The Philippines has begun long-delayed repairs to its crumbling runway at Thitu, or Pag-asa, Island, the largest of its nine outposts in the Spratly Islands and home to upwards of 100 civilians and a small military garrison. Thitu sits just over 12 nautical miles from China’s air and naval base at Subi Reef, and was the site of a tense standoff with a Chinese flotilla last August. Philippine defense officials in April 2017 announced that they would be upgrading facilities at the country’s occupied islands and reefs, but little work was apparent until now."

https://amti.csis.org/philippines-launches-spratly-repairs/

[adroth]

Background on this development available below

http://defenseph.net/drp/index.php?topic=1466.0