PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines: China is pressing ahead with the construction of artificial islands on at least two reefs that are also claimed by the Philippines in the increasingly tense territorial dispute, Filipino officials said Friday, despite Beijing’s pronouncement that some work would end soon.
Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon of Kalayaan island, which is under Philippine control in the Spratly islands, where attention has recently focused on China’s massive islands reclamation work, said that he flew last week near the Chinese-controlled Subi Reef and saw construction was in full swing with many dredgers and a huge crane visible on the emerging man-made island.
“It’s full-blast construction. It’s massive and incredible,” he told The Associated Press, adding that it was evident it would take months before the Chinese complete the work.
In the mid-portion of the emerging island, a 3-km (1.9-mile) -long landfill is taking the shape of a runway, Bito-onon said.
His comments followed similar findings by the US military and independent defense analysts.
Two senior Philippine military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to talk to the media, said that aside from Subi Reef, China’s island-building has also continued on Mischief Reef, also in the Spratlys, based on recent military surveillance.
Chinese Embassy officials in Manila did not comment immediately.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on June 16 that the land reclamation projects on some islands and reefs “will be completed in upcoming days.”
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China island-building in full swing, says Manila
China island-building in full swing, says Manila
Pentagon shoots down government drone in Texas accident, congressional aides say
- Pentagon deployed laser-based anti-drone system, aides say
- System shot down Customs and Border Protection drone near Mexican border, aides say
WASHINGTON: The US military shot down a US government drone with a laser-based anti-drone system, an accident that prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to bar flights on Thursday in an area around Fort Hancock, Texas, congressional aides told Reuters.
The Pentagon did not immediately comment, but the FAA cited “special security reasons” in its notice about the restrictions on the airspace near the Mexican border.
US Representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson and Andre Carson, top Democrats on committees overseeing aviation and Homeland Security issues, said in a joint statement the Pentagon reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone, and criticized the lack of coordination.
The lawmakers said they warned months ago that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan proposal to train counter-drone operators and address coordination issues “was a short-sighted idea.”
“Now, we’re seeing the result of incompetence,” the statement said.
Congressional aides told Reuters the Pentagon was believed to have used the high-energy laser system to shoot down the CBP drone near the Mexican border, in an area that often has incursions from Mexican drones used by drug cartels. CBP and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The FAA said it was expanding prior flight restrictions in the area to “include a greater radius to ensure safety” but said it did not impact commercial flights because of its location.
This month, the FAA said it was halting traffic for 10 days at the airport in nearby El Paso, Texas, only to reverse course and lift its order after about eight hours. Fort Hancock is about 50 miles (80 km) from El Paso.
Reuters and other media reported that the closure stemmed from concerns about the use of the laser-based anti-drone system and that the FAA had agreed to drop its restrictions around El Paso if the Pentagon agreed to delay further testing pending an FAA safety review.
Both the Pentagon and CBP told congressional aides earlier this week they believed they could deploy the laser without the FAA’s prior approval.
Aides said there was a lack of coordination between the FAA and Pentagon. The government informed congressional offices about the El Paso closure as well as the Fort Hancock incident late on Thursday.
The FAA notice barred all flights in the Fort Hancock area but said air ambulance or search and rescue flights can be authorized with the Joint Task Force-Southern Border. The flight restrictions are to last until June 24.
Government agencies briefed congressional staff earlier this week on the El Paso incident and are expected to brief lawmakers as soon as next week.
CBP deployed the laser technology this month to reportedly take down four suspected cartel drones, despite warnings from the FAA that the technology had not been deemed safe to use in the same vicinity as commercial flights, an aide told Reuters, adding agencies told them the laser had never before been deployed domestically.
The Pentagon did not immediately comment, but the FAA cited “special security reasons” in its notice about the restrictions on the airspace near the Mexican border.
US Representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson and Andre Carson, top Democrats on committees overseeing aviation and Homeland Security issues, said in a joint statement the Pentagon reportedly shot down a Customs and Border Protection drone, and criticized the lack of coordination.
The lawmakers said they warned months ago that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan proposal to train counter-drone operators and address coordination issues “was a short-sighted idea.”
“Now, we’re seeing the result of incompetence,” the statement said.
Congressional aides told Reuters the Pentagon was believed to have used the high-energy laser system to shoot down the CBP drone near the Mexican border, in an area that often has incursions from Mexican drones used by drug cartels. CBP and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The FAA said it was expanding prior flight restrictions in the area to “include a greater radius to ensure safety” but said it did not impact commercial flights because of its location.
This month, the FAA said it was halting traffic for 10 days at the airport in nearby El Paso, Texas, only to reverse course and lift its order after about eight hours. Fort Hancock is about 50 miles (80 km) from El Paso.
Reuters and other media reported that the closure stemmed from concerns about the use of the laser-based anti-drone system and that the FAA had agreed to drop its restrictions around El Paso if the Pentagon agreed to delay further testing pending an FAA safety review.
Both the Pentagon and CBP told congressional aides earlier this week they believed they could deploy the laser without the FAA’s prior approval.
Aides said there was a lack of coordination between the FAA and Pentagon. The government informed congressional offices about the El Paso closure as well as the Fort Hancock incident late on Thursday.
The FAA notice barred all flights in the Fort Hancock area but said air ambulance or search and rescue flights can be authorized with the Joint Task Force-Southern Border. The flight restrictions are to last until June 24.
Government agencies briefed congressional staff earlier this week on the El Paso incident and are expected to brief lawmakers as soon as next week.
CBP deployed the laser technology this month to reportedly take down four suspected cartel drones, despite warnings from the FAA that the technology had not been deemed safe to use in the same vicinity as commercial flights, an aide told Reuters, adding agencies told them the laser had never before been deployed domestically.
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