By Junex Doronio

MANILA — China has strongly assailed the Philippines’ plan to build a permanent facility in Ayungin Shoal which it calls Ren’ai Jao, saying such a move “will severely infringe” Beijing’s sovereignty.

“Ren’ai Jiao is an uninhabited shoal. According to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) signed by China and ASEAN countries, parties should keep Ren’ai Jiao uninhabited and facility-free,” spokesperson Mao Ning pointed out.

Heeding the earlier suggestion of leading opposition figure and former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on December 26 revealed plans to construct a permanent structure at Ayungin Shoal will involve an inter-agency program since it will not be a military structure.

This came on the heels of Senator Sonny Angara’s confirmation that lawmakers have allocated funds in the 2024 national budget for the building of a structure at the shoal, which is part of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan.

To recall, Carpio has said that the Philippines should build a civilian structure such as a lighthouse or marine research center on Ayungin Shoal, where BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded.

The BRP Sierra Madre, a Second World War era ship, was deliberately run aground on Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal in 1999 during the administration of President Joseph “Erap” Estrada to serve as an outpost of the Philippine Marine Corps to assert Philippine sovereignty in the country’s dispute with China over the ownership of the Spratly Islands.

But China protested the Philippines’ plan.

“The spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines blatantly claimed that the Philippines will build a permanent structure. This would be another major move the Philippines could take to go back on its words, change its policy, and undermine the uninhabited and facility-free status of Ren’ai Jiao. This will severely infringe on China’s sovereignty, violate international law and the DOC,” Mao said.

Political pundits told Maharlika NuMedia that this could provoke China to take more aggressive actions and test the sincerity of the United States to defend the Philippines as its old ally.

(IAmigo/MNM)