For years, the Philippines and Vietnam have built infrastructures on islands and reefs or even artificial islands in the South China Sea, in an attempt to consolidate their illegal occupation, justify their claims for "sovereignty" or exclusive economic zones and continental shelves.
Facts speak louder than words. Xinhua correspondents have recently conducted a series of interviews and research to expose such illegal activities by the two nations.
THE PHILIPPINES ILLEGALLY OCCUPIES, EXPANDS CHINA'S ISLANDS
China has indisputable sovereignty over its South China Sea islands and their adjacent waters. However, after World War II ended and the Cold War began, the Philippines started to covet those islands.
In the 1970s, the Philippines, in violation of international law including the Charter of the United Nations (UN) and the basic norms of international relations, illegally seized control of eight islands and reefs that are part of China's Nansha Islands.
The seized Chinese islands and reefs are Mahuan Dao, Feixin Dao, Zhongye Dao, Beizi Dao, Nanyao Dao, Xiyue Dao, Shuanghuang Shazhou and Siling Jiao. Manila also attempted to encroach on China's Ren'ai Jiao and Huangyan Dao.
Over the years, the Philippines has continuously built and expanded facilities on those illegally seized islands and reefs, as well as deployed military forces on them.
On Zhongye Dao, for example, the Philippines constructed an office building, dozens of residential buildings, an airstrip guarded by two 40mm-caliber anti-aircraft guns, and a nearly four-story-high sentry tower at the highest point of the island, the Philippine Star quoted reporters invited to visit the island by the Philippine military in May 2015 as saying.
With dozens of Philippine soldiers stationed on the island, there are also barracks, a medical center and a temporary dock, through which supplies are shipped in every three months.
According to the Filipinos now living on Zhongye Dao, Manila provides every household on the island with 16 kg of rice, some canned food and noodles every half month, all free of charge so as to boost migration and achieve the so-called "manifestation of sovereignty."
However, due to the country's limited logistics capabilities, the island can currently only accommodate around 200 people, with a civilian population ceiling of 110.
