China builds structures, deploys military in Subi Reef

A plane from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) observed Chinese structures and military equipment in Subi or Zamora Reef, part of the Philippines' continental shelf in the West Philippine Sea near Pag-asa Island.

The BFAR aircraft spotted huge structures including a runway, radar domes, antennas, vehicles, hangars, and a deepwater shelter port that can accommodate Chinese ships during rough weather conditions.

Chinese maritime militia vessels were also seen around Subi Reef, which China built in 2013. According to the Philippine Navy, China has reclaimed approximately 3,000 hectares in the South China Sea (SCS) including some features in the West Philippine Sea.

In July, the Philippines officially requested the United Nations to recognize its entitlement to an extended continental shelf (ECS) in the West Palawan Region of the WPS, rejecting China's extensive claims over the South China Sea.

The Philippine Mission to the UN submitted information to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) on June 14 to support the country's claim based on Article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.