The Philippines yesterday urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to unite and stop China’s massive reclamation in disputed waters as it will give China “de facto control” over the area and cause $100 million in marine wealth losses annually. At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting here, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario told his counterparts that the situation in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea had worsened just a year after the Philippines began to draw international attention to destabilizing activities in the area, particularly China’s massive reclamation. Four of 10 members of ASEAN have territorial claims in the area – the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and this year’s host, Malaysia.

Phl to ASEAN: China getting de facto control. (2015, April 27). The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 8.