20 June 2015

The Philippines reiterates its serious concern on China's massive reclamation activities and planned construction of facilities in those features.

China's reclamation and construction activities grossly violate the 2002 ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and may serve to escalate the disputes and undermine efforts to promote peace, security, and stability. These activities cause irreparable damage to the marine environment and marine biodiversity of the region.

The Philippines calls on China anew to heed calls from the region and the international community to exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities pursuant to Paragraph 5 of the DOC. END