The territorial conflict in the South China Sea, smouldering for several decades already, has suddenly gained a new meaning: ecological. That is attributed to the China constructing artificial islands. From the point of the Philippines, this construction activity endangers the unique ecosystem of the sea basin, which is one of the richest in the world in terms of biodiversity, first of all, because of the variety of fishes and corals, and that can have negative consequences on the food security of millions of people who live in the region.
The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines has made a statement in which it condemned the Chinese policies on the assumption that “they take active measures on the land development which inflict irreparable damage to the biodiversity and undermine the ecological balance in the South China Sea. China implements these projects unilaterally and ignores the interests of the people of other counties whose existence, historically, has been dependent on the sea. The following figures are given in support of the statement: in the process of creating artificial islands China has eliminated 121.4 hectares of coral reefs, which equals to the $100 mln of economic damage to the coastal counties annually. The data is based on the researches carries out by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and independent scholars.
China unilaterally puts a claim on 85.7% out of 3.5 mln hectares of South China Sea and plans to construct huge islands on reefs and subterranean rocks. For example, on the Mischief reefs, which are situated within the 200 mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, the PRC has built an artificial island of 3.2 hectares which can be enlarged up to 500 hectares. All in all land development is performed on seven reefs of Spratly islands.
Why the Chinese land development activities are so dangerous for sea environmental conditions? According to scientific researches, organisms which are involved in the reef growth, tortoises and giant bivalves die in the process of dredging works and construction of artificial islands on reefs and rocks. The Philippines estimate that China has already destroyed 17 reefs on the Spratly islands during the land development activities. Reefs, main spawning area of valuable fish species and guarantee of ecological security for counties of the region, erode because of sand and sedimentary rocks.
And all this despite the fact that the countries of that sea basin, such as Indonesia, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam are the world’s largest fishing states which populations are dependant on the fish. However, a disturbance in the sea ecosystem and disappearance of reefs will lead to the 20% decline in the population of the fish which lives there and that will have a pernicious effect on the economic activity of more than 12,000 fishermen in the Philippines alone.
Besides, coral reefs not only attract tourists but they are also widely used for making medicine, they protect the population of the coastal regions from the impacts of natural disasters, being a natural barrier against waves and floodings. That acquires special importance amid the climate change.
The danger of the marine ecosystem destruction as a result of China’s construction of artificial islands is aggravated by the harm already caused to the marine environment by human activities. According to data, 70% of reefs in the South China Sea are in the process of decomposition, and the fish resources have declined by 40%. These are the results of production and agricultural wastes being dumped into water, as well as of excessive fish capture which is often unauthorized and with the use of illicit fishing techniques. That became another subject for criticism towards China from the Philippines.
……………
Read more at New Eastern Outlook
Click here for updated South China Sea news
