Subscribe free to our newsletters via your
. 24/7 Space News .




SUPERPOWERS
Philippines halts repairs on Spratlys airstrip ahead of UN suit
by Staff Writers
Manila (AFP) June 28, 2015


The Philippines has halted the repair of its airstrip in the disputed Spratly islands due to its pending suit at The Hague challenging China's claim over the waters, a presidential spokesman said Sunday.

The work on the airstrip on Thitu island, which the Philippines calls Pagasa and which hosts a small community, comes as China builds up outcroppings in the waters into islands that can host military facilities.

"The repair has been stopped because we uphold the principle of keeping the status quo in the areas involved," said President Benigno Aquino's spokesman Herminio Coloma.

"This is part of our strategy for a rules-based and diplomatic approach where we have filed an arbitration case with the UN tribunal," he added.

The tiny airstrip on Pagasa had been largely used to bring in supplies for the small town that the Philippine government established there to stake its claim over part of the Spratlys.

However the airstrip has deteriorated over the years, forcing the government to rely on ships which must go through a gauntlet of Chinese vessels to reach the island.

China claims almost all of the Spratlys and the South China Sea, even areas close to the coasts of its neighbours. Its claim is disputed by the Philippines as well as Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam and Taiwan.

The waters are a crucial sea lane and rich fishing ground also believed to hold large mineral resources.

In 2013 the Philippines asked The Hague, based in the Netherlands, to declare China's claim invalid and in violation of international law.

Hearings -- looking at whether Manila's complaint has legal merit as well as whether the court has jurisdiction over the case -- are set to begin next month.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News





SUPERPOWERS
Japan, Philippines make second flight near disputed waters
Puerto Princesa, Philippines (AFP) June 24, 2015
Japan and the Philippines flew patrol planes near disputed South China Sea waters for a second straight day on Wednesday, despite Chinese criticism of this week's air and sea exercises. A Japanese P-3C Orion and a Philippine navy Islander conducted a search and rescue drill 50 nautical miles (93 kilometres) northwest of the Philippine island of Palawan, officials said. The flight was in ... read more


SUPERPOWERS
Moon engulfed in permanent, lopsided dust cloud

Crashing comets may explain mysterious lunar swirls

Google Lunar X-Prize meets Yoda

China, Russia plan joint landing on the Moon

SUPERPOWERS
NASA Signs Agreements to Advance Agency's Journey to Mars

New study favors cold, icy early Mars

Scientists find methane in Mars meteorites

Red Planet Rising

SUPERPOWERS
Low-cost airlines boost green travel to the Azores

Robotic Tunneler May Explore Icy Moons

How to sail through space on sunbeams - solar satellite leads the way

XCOR Selects Matrix Composites to Develop Lynx Chines

SUPERPOWERS
Electric thruster propels China's interstellar ambitions

China Plans First Ever Landing On The Lunar Far Side

China ranked 4th among world space powers

3D printer making Chinese space suit parts

SUPERPOWERS
Curtiss-Wright Awarded Contract By The European Space Agency

Russian, US Scientists to Cooperate in Space Exploration Despite Sanctions

'Hard landing' as three astronauts return to Earth from ISS

ISS Adjusts Orbit to Evade Space Junk

SUPERPOWERS
Garvey Spacecraft selects Pacific Spaceport Complex

Sentinel-2A satellite ready for Launch from Kourou

Arianespace restructure signals major changes in company governance

NASA issues RFP for New Class of Launch Services

SUPERPOWERS
Helium-Shrouded Planets May Be Common in Our Galaxy

Hubble detects stratosphere-like layer around exoplanet

Work-experience schoolboy discovers a new planet

Hubble in 'Oh Planet, What Art Thou?' 25th Anniversary Video

SUPERPOWERS
Cellulose from wood can be printed in 3-D

Penn research simplifies recycling of rare-earth magnets

JPL, Caltech Team Up to Tackle Big-Data Projects

Penn researchers develop a new type of gecko-like gripper




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.