This content was originally published by Radio Free Asia, and it is now licensed for reprint.
Almost 28.3 square meters of coral reefs have been destroyed by competitors in the South China Sea developing artificial islands to support their claims, according to a U.S. based think tank, with China accountable for the most harm followed by Vietnam.
The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, or AMTI, analyzed area building routines of rival claims, including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines, using professional satellite imagery.
According to the team, which is affiliated with the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Dredging and waste had caused “irreparable injury” to the sea wildlife as well as long-term adjustments to the overall structure and wellbeing of islands in the South China Sea.
” China has caused the most reef destruction, having buried roughly 4, 648 acres ( 18.8 square km ) of reef since 2013″, AMTI said in a , report, adding that Vietnam came second with approximately 2, 362 acres ( 9.5 square km ) of reef, mostly in 2024.
During the Lunar New Year holiday, state representatives in the two nations were unavailable for opinion.
The total area of damage increased by 800 acres ( 3.2 square km ) from 6, 200 acres ( 25 square km ) at the end of 2023. China and Vietnam are responsible for 65 % and 33 % of reef destruction, respectively, AMTI said.
In a December 2023 , report, the group said that besides island building, giant clam harvesting by Chinese fishermen also damaged another 16, 353 acres ( 66.1 square km ) of coral reef.
Manila planned to file a second constitutional challenge to Beijing over environmental damage in the waters and ocean of the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, where it has control over natural solutions in the ocean and the ocean.
The Marcos leadership, however, has yet to choose on a place for the lawsuit.
Malaysia, Taiwan and the Philippines accounted for less than 3 % of the injury, AMTI said.
Pre-emptive shop affect
Under the UNCLOS, the Philippines won an adjudication circumstance against China in 2016, but Beijing refrained from accepting the decision.
The U.N. General Assembly may request a decision requesting conformity with the 2016 mediation and another resolution requesting an expert opinion from the International Court of Justice on issues like whether China’s conduct violates international agreements.
According to Spanish nautical legal expert Jay Batongbacal, the Philippines would have to depend primarily on its own efforts because the ASEAN grouping’s non-interference principle would prevent different nations in the region from resolving the conflict, as with the first case.
China’s response to the Philippines ‘ concerns about their harmful activities, the specialist told Radio Free Asia.
Researcher Dinh Kim Phuc said that despite the climate damage, Vietnam’s activities “must happen” and are essential for” proper security”.
He told RFA,” We cannot place the protection of the marine environment on our shoulders.” ” We must place it with overall regional security. The sea environment will continue to be destroyed to serve a variety of purposes as long as China continues to maintain its intention to occupy the entire South China Sea.
China’s coast guard criticized other claimant nations for harming the ecosystems in the South China Sea at a special maritime law enforcement briefing held on Sunday, while lauding its own efforts to protect the environment.
Su h public br efi gs could se ve as a re- mptive cou ter strik a ain t Man la s plan, Ba ongbacal sai d said.
According to Liu Dejun, a spokesman for the China Coast Guard, Chinese law enforcement repressed illegal fishing, illegal waste disposal, and the hunting of precious and endangered wildlife in an interview with the Global Times newspaper in 2024, detaining more than 500 foreign vessels for various violations and seizing 15 of them.
More than 1, 200 live coral specimens and significant quantities of giant clam shells were found poaching coral by a foreign fishing vessel, Liu said, without naming the nation from which the ship was taken.
