FILE PHOTO: Fourteen fishing vessels, a part of a fleet that left Hainan on July 11, 2012, catch fish and acquire uncommon corals 9 kilometers east of Pag-asa Island within the West Philippine Sea. PHOTO FROM THE WESTERN COMMAND
MANILA, Philippines — The embassies of Japan and China within the Philippines have figured in a heated trade on social media regarding Beijing’s alleged harvesting of corals within the West Philippine Sea’s Rozul Reef.
On Sunday, Japan’s Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko sounded alarm over China’s alleged act on X (previously Twitter). He reiterated that oceans and coral reefs should be protected.
“Very alarming information. Our oceans are the lifeblood of our planet, [and] coral reefs are its colourful heartbeats. Let’s protect [and] defend these important ecosystems for generations to return,” he stated, apparently reacting to the assertion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Saturday that corals within the Rozul Reef at the moment are worn out.
The AFP stated Chinese language militia vessels have been seen across the reef.
The Chinese language Embassy responded, saying individuals must be alarmed by such “disinformation.”
“Individuals must be alarmed by the spreading of such disinformation. Oceans are certainly the lifeblood of our planet. So cease the discharge of contaminated nuclear water from Fukushima,” it stated on X, apparently referring to Japan’s releasing of 1 million metric tons of handled radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear energy plant into the Pacific Ocean final August 24.
China earlier described this transfer of Japan as “extraordinarily egocentric and irresponsible.” A number of others throughout the globe have equally criticized Japan for its choice to launch the handled radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear energy plant into the Pacific Ocean.
The place of the Philippines on the discharge of Fukushima water into the ocean was not express however the Division of Overseas Affairs (DFA) earlier launched an announcement saying:
“The Philippines continues to have a look at this situation from a science- and fact-based perspective and its impression on the waters within the area. As a coastal and archipelagic State, the Philippines attaches utmost precedence to the safety and preservation of the marine atmosphere.”
READ: PH vows to guard marine atmosphere as Japan plans to launch radioactive water
“The Philippines acknowledges the Worldwide Atomic Power Company’s (IAEA) technical experience on this matter,” it added.
READ: Japan grateful for PH gov’t understanding its launch of radioactive water
INQUIRER.web has sought the remark of the DFA on China’s alleged harvesting of corals throughout the Philippine unique financial zone however it has but to reply as of this writing.
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