Government Says China’s Construction Of New Runways In South China Sea Violates International Laws And Could Heighten Tension

China has expanded its construction of runways in the disputed Spratly Islands since President Xi Jinping's visit in the United States last September.

Satellite images of Subi Reef and Mischief Reef in Spratlys posted by Financial Times Friday reportedly imply that China will soon finish two new runways. A Washington-based project called Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) provided the satellite images.

"The runways at Subi and Mischief Reef are nearly complete. The work at Mischief has gone nearly twice as fast as it did at Fiery Cross Reef on which test flights landed earlier this month," Director Gregory Poling said.

"In Mischief, where grading began in September or October, construction is already approaching completion just three to four months later. Meanwhile, China is rapidly building out other facilities on both Mischief and Subi," the report stated.

Meanwhile, the Philippine government said Sunday that China's construction of two new runways is a violation of international laws and could raise tensions in the region.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. emphasized that the Philippines is committed to "assert the importance of freedom of navigation and over flight" in the disputed island.

"We reiterate that these actions by China violate not only pertinent international laws but also the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea of which China is a signatory, along with the member countries of ASEAN," Coloma said, as noted by Yahoo! News Monday.

In his interview with DZRB, Coloma said that "the Department of Foreign Affairs had previously filed a diplomatic protest regarding the test flights made on reefs also claimed by the Philippines particularly at Kagitingan Reef, which is well within our exclusive economic zone; hence, the building of additional runways contributes to heightened tensions in the region," as noted by Business World Sunday.