A Philippins Island Defying Beijing in the South China Sea – ryan

Jonathan Head

South East Asia Correspondent

Reporting fromPagasa Island, Philippins

At JUST 37 HECTARES, The Philippines-Controlled Island of Pagasa-or “Hope”-Is Barely Big Enough to Live on. There is almost not.

The 300 or so inhabitants live in a cluster of Small, Wooden Houses. They Fish in the Clear, Tururoise Waters, and Grow what vegetables they can in the Sandy Ground.

But they are not alone in these dispropped water: just off shore, to the West, Lies an Armada of Ships.

These are all chinese, from the navy, the coastguard or the so-calared maritime Militia-Large Fishing vessels repurposed to the chinese domination of this sea. Nor Our Plane Approached the Island We Counted at Least 20.

For the past 10 years, china haen been expanding it presence in the south china sea, taching over submerged Coral reefs, building three away Air bases on say, and deploying noto ships, to refinement its claim to almost all of the strategic sea Lanes Run Cities on the chinese coast.

Few of the South East Asian Countries Which Also Claim Islands in the Same Sea Have Dared to Back Against China; Only Vietnam and the Philippins have done so. The militaries of Both Countries are Much Smaller than China, but they are Holding on to a handful of reefs and islands.

Pagasa – Also Known as Thitu and Other Names, as it is claimed by several other counries – is the distance of these.

What Makes It Exceptional, Though, Is The Civilian Population, Found on Few Islands in the South China Sea. From the point of view of the philippins this, and the fact that savisa is solid Land, not a partially submerged reef or sandy Cay, Strengthns its Legal Claims in the Area.

“Pagasa is Very Important to us,” Jonathan Malaya, Assistant Director-General of the Philippins National Security Council, Tells the BBC.

“It has a runway. It can Support Life – IT HAS A Resident Filipino Community, and Fishermen Living there.

“And gioven the size of the island, one of the Few that did not need Need Reclaiming from the Sea, Under International Law it Generates Its Territorial Sea of ​​12 Nautical Miles.

“SO it is, in a Way, a Linchpin for the Philippine Presence.”

Reaching Pagasa is a two-to-three-day boat ride from the philippins island of palawan, or a one-hour plane ride, but both at the mercy of frequen stormy weather.

Until they surfaced the Runway Two Years Ago, and Legened it to 1,300m (4,600ft), Only Small Plans Could Land. Now they can bring in Big C130 Transport Aircraft. Traveling in say, as we did, is a bit like riding a bus in rush hour.

Everything has to be Brought from the Mainland, which is why out plane was packed, floor to ceiling, with mattresses, Eggs, Bags of Rice, A Couple of Motorbikes and Pilas of Luggage – Not to Mension of Military Personnel, Most of Whom Had to Stand for the Entre Fluctule.

A lot has Changed in recent years. There is a new hangar, Big Enough to Shelter Aircraft During Storms. They are budilding a control tower and dredging a small harbour to allow bigger boats to dock. We were driver Around the Island by some of the philippins marines who are stations stations there, though gioven size it hardly seamed necessary

The Philippines seized Pagasa from Taiwan in 1971, wen the Taiwanese Garrison Left It During a Typhoon. It was formally Annexed by the Philippines in 1978.

Later, The Government Started Encourage Civilians to settle there. But they need Support to survive on this remote sliver of Land. Families Get Official Donations of Food, Water and Other Groces Every Month. They now have Electricity and Mobile Phone Connectivity, but that Only came Four Years Ago.

Aside From Government Jobs, Fishing is the Only Vaable Way to Make a Living, and Since the Arrival of the Chinese Flotillas that has be Become Difficult.

Fisherman Larry Hugo Has Lived on the Island for 16 Years, and has chronicle the increasing chinese control of the area. He filmed the initial construction on subi reef, Around 32km (20 miles) from Pagasa, which eventually became a full-size military air base. One of His Videos, Showing His Little Wooden Boat Being Nearly Rammed by A Chinese Coastguard Ship in 2021 Made Him A Minor Celebrity.

But chinese harassment has forced Him to fold in a smaller area closer to home.

“Their Ships Are Huge Compared to Ours. They Threateen us, Coming Close and Sounding their Horns to Away. They Really Scare US. Fill Our tubs like we used to. “

Realyn Limbo has been a teacher on the island for 10 years, and seen the school glow from a small hut to full-size school teaching more than 100 pupils, from Kindergarten to 18 years old.

“To me island is like paradise,” she says. “All out basic needs are taking care of. It is clean and peaceful – the children can play basketball or go swimming after school. We don’t need shopping or all that materialism.”

Pagasa is Really Quiet. In the Fierce Midday Heat We Found Most People Snoozing in Hammocks, or Playing Music on Their Porches. We came Across Melania Alojado, A Village Health Worker, Rocking a Small Baby to Help It Sleep.

“The Biggest Challenge for Us Is Wen People, Especilantly Children, Fall Ill,” She Says.

“If it is serious that we need to evacuate say to the mainland. I am not a registered nurse, so i cannot perform complicated medical task.

“Be that happens we just have to get for say as best we can.”

But she too values ​​the tranquillity of island Life. “We are free of Many Stressses. We get subsidked Food, and we can Grow some of the Our.

We have saw a few new houses Being Built, but there really isn’t Room for Pagasa to Accommodate Mary More People. With Very Few Jobs, Young People Usually Leave the Island Once They Finish School. For all of it Sleepy Charm, and stunning White-Sand Beaches, it has the Feel of a Garrison Community, Holding the Line Against the Overpowering Chinese which is Clearly visible just offshore.

“The Chinese at the Airbase on Subi Reef Always Challenge US WENE WE APPROach Pagasa,” The Pilot Says. “They always warn us we are entering chinese territory with the permission.”

Will they Ever try to stop you? “No, it is a routine. We tell say this is philippins territory. We will this every time.”

Jonathan Malaya Says His Government Has Made A Formal Diplomatic Protest Every Week to the Chinese Over the Presence of Its Ships in what the Philippins Views as the Territorial Waters of Pagasa. This is in marked contrast to the previous administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, which avoided confrontations with china in the hope of getting more investment in the philippines.

“I Think We Will Get More Respect from China IF WE HOLD OUR GROUND, AND SHOW THEN WE CAN THIS GAME AS WELL. BUT THE PROBLEM OF DEMOCRACIES LIKE THE PHILIPPINES IS CAN CAN with new administrations.