Manila: Senior officials called on international communities to support a campaign against China’s expansion on the reefs and shoals of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in South China Sea.

“We are calling on the international community to help [us] asset our sovereignty against [the] foreign intervention [of China] in the South China Sea,” said Congressman Neri Colmenares, “All Filipinos should denounce China’s unjust and dangerous action[s] in the South China Sea.” Colmenares is also senior deputy minority leader at the House of Representatives.

“China’s unbridled reclamation activity worsens an already sensitive geopolitical situation and raises the spectre of increasing militarisation in the South China Sea,” Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Evan Garcia said.

Brunei Permanent Secretary Dato Erywan Pehin Yousuf has agreed to strengthen a campaign against China in the West Philippine Sea, the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines in the South China Sea, said Garcia, adding this happened during the meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and India in New Delhi on March 14.

In the same meeting, support also came from countries outside of the 10 members of Asean, said Garcia, adding that Indian Minister of External Affairs Anil Wadhwa assured Asean foreign affairs ministers that India will support a peaceful resolution to the maritime dispute in the South China Sea.

China has added 80,000 square metres on Johnson North Reef. A six-storey building is being constructed on both the Johnson North and Johnson south Reef, based on photos taken by the Philippine military last January. In 2013, photos showed that only a small 1,000 square metre building stood on Johnson North Reef alone.

China has built a 600-metre wide and three-kilometre long airstrip on Fiery Cross Reef, which also underwent reclamation for alleged military use, said the Philippine military.

China had built a structure on Mischief Reef in 1995. Now, it has enlarged Mischief Reef, with plans to build more structures on it, photos revealed. China has also done reclamation projects on Subi Reef. In 2014, the Philippine military revealed the beginning of these reclamation projects.

China, Taiwan, and Vietnam each claim the South China Sea, based on their respective historical rights on the sea-lane.

Brunei, Malaysia, and the Philippines claim some parts of the Spratly Archipelago off South China, based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which grants countries 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone starting from their shores.

Four of the claimants are Asean member countries. Asean’s members include Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Singapore, and Thailand.