The Philippines has stopped all development work in the disputed South China Sea because of the impact such activity might have on an arbitration complaint it has filed against China, a defence official said on Friday. The Philippines has called for all countries to stop construction work on small islands and reefs in the South China Sea, virtually all of which is claimed by China. The Philippines and other Southeast Asian also have claims in the resource-rich sea, through which passes $5 trillion (3.11 trillion pound) of trade a year.

'Moral high ground': PH halts work in disputed sea. (2014, October 4). Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A6.