China’s Movable Floating Platform Still Within Panatag

China’s movable floating platform is still inside Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal) as of Friday, June 12, raising concerns Beijing is planning to construct another military base within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“The movable floating platform remains to be inside the shoal and its current location – it just went up the northernmost part of the shoal,” Philippine Coast Guard Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, said at a forum in Quezon City on Saturday, June 14.

Defense officials first monitored the structure last May 26, regularly being moved by Chinese personnel using service boats from two research vessels.

While authorities have yet to see signs of concrete foundations being built on the shoal, maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal said at the same forum that it has been part of China’s playbook to use maritime research as a prelude to illegally occupying Philippine territory.

He cited the Fiery Cross Reef, which China has occupied under the guise of scientific research activities.

“At first, they said they were just building a civilian and fisherman shelter, but we eventually knew after several decades that the Mischief Reef is now the largest Chinese military base in the West Philippine Sea,” Batongbacal said.

With Bajo de Masinloc just around 120 nautical miles from Subic in Zambales, Batongbacal said it puts the country under constant threat should China build a military base on the shoal.

Tarriela refused to comment when asked if they would forcefully remove the platform, saying: “I won’t respond to that because those are operational details.”

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman for the WPS said they are keeping tabs  on China’s activities in Bajo de Masinloc. “We have learned our history. We are keeping a very close eye on the development at Bajo de Masinloc,” Trinidad said. – With an additional report from Andrew Ronquillo