China Uses Zambales Soil To Make Fake Islands, Governor Claims

China Uses Zambales Soil – Zambales Governor Amor Deloso claimed that China has been using the soil and other materials from the province to build artificial islands in the disputed Scarborough Shoal, known locally as Bajo de Masinloc.

In an article by Manila Times, Deloso clarified that the Chinese mining companies are operating in the mountains of the province extracting soil and boulders which are then used to build the artificial islands of China in Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

“The Chinese military is based at an airport built by China at the reclaimed area near Scarborough Shoal, which was built out of the mountain soil of Santa Cruz,” said the governor as quoted in the article.

Sta. Cruz, Zambales faces the West Philippine Sea and according to reports, three Chinese conglomerates: Wei-Wei Group, Jiangxi Rare Earth & Metals Tungsten Group, and Nihao Mineral Resources Inc. operates over the municipality using five Filipino dummy ‘small-scale mines’.

Deloso then blamed the former governor Hermogenes Ebdane for allegedly allowing the selling of soil the country to the Chinese.

“Siyempre may kumita diyan, imposibleng wala, hindi naman hahakot lang ng hahakot ng lupa kung walang ibinabayad, [Ofcourse, there were people who gained from the selling, it is impossible if there’s none, they won’t get soil if there was no payment], said Deloso as quoted by the Inquirer.

The present governor said that he already suspended mining permits in the province.

Weeks ago, China lost in the Permanent Court of Arbitration after the tribunal ruled that the Philippines has exclusive sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, invalidating the 9-Dash Line claim of China. But, China stood that it won’t recognize the ruling.

What can you say about this action by China? How about the government officials of the province?

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