CHINA attempted to restart reclamation at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) but was stopped by the United States last year, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana bared on Thursday.

The incident, according to Lorenzana, happened in May last year when the US “quietly” told China to stop reclamation in Panatag, also called Bajo de Masinloc, located 124 nautical miles northwest of Luzon.

“There was a plan by the Chinese to build, to reclaim Scarborough Shoal. In fact, we received a report from the Americans that there were barges already loaded with soil and construction materials going to Scarborough Shoal but the Americans I think told the Chinese, don’t do it. For some reason the Chinese stopped,” Lorenzana revealed in a forum in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The Defense chief immediately clarified that the manner in which the US stopped the reclamation was not authoritative as “they have channels of talking to each other.”

“So that’s the red line, according to the United States, building something at the Scarborough Shoal is a red line to them,” he added.

Even President Rodrigo Duterte had stated that once the Chinese begin exploring and putting rigs in the disputed waterways, he would talk to Beijing, Lorenzana said.

http://www.manilatimes.net/us-halts-chinas-island-reclamation/316395/