Chinese projects, including Sangley airport, to continue – Palace

September 1, 2020

All the Chinese projects, including the Sangley Airport in Cavite, will proceed as the Philippines is "not a vassal state" of the United States, Malacanang said on Tuesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque made the "categorical statement" after the Cavite local government and Lucio Tan's MacroAsia said they would wait for the national government's decision on whether to proceed with the Sangley Point International Airport project following the recent decision of the Us to ban some Chinese companies, including the state-owned China Communications Construction Co Ltd., for their involvement in the reclamation activities in the disputed South China Sea.

CCCC and MacroAsia are the contractors in the Sangley Airport project.

"I will be categorical: Sangley Project will continue. All other projects involving Chinese companies that are banned in the United States can continue in the Philippines," Roque said.

"We are not a vassal state of any foreign power and we will pursue out national interest," he said.

Roque stressed that the national interest is to ensure that all the flagship projects under the government's Build, Build, Build program are completed.

The Palace's decision was contrary to earlier statement of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsion Jr. that he would strongly recommend to Malacanang the termination of contract with any Chinese company involved in China's reclamation in the disputed waters.

The Philippines has been claiming part of the South China Sea, which is being claimed wholly by China through its nine-dash line theory. China's historic and sovereign claim in almost the entire South China Sea, however, was invalidated by the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal in 2014 following Manila's petition. Celerina Monte/DMS