The involvement of a Chinese company on Washington's "blacklist" is raising worries in the United States about large-scale land reclamation operations in Manila Bay close to its heavily guarded embassy, the U.S. Embassy warned on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Manila, Kanishka Gangopadhyay, said Washington also expressed to the Philippine government its concern about the "potential negative long-term and irreversible impacts" of the project and other reclamation activities on the environment.

Environmental organizations have protested against the government-approved reclamations that have been ongoing for years, primarily by real estate firms looking to construct islands on which to anchor luxurious hotels, casinos, restaurants, and entertainment venues in a bay that has a history of polluting the environment. Others fear that high-rise structures constructed on reclaimed ground may obstruct the common person's view of Manila Bay's renowned sunset.

“We are also concerned that the projects have ties to the China Communications Construction Co., which has been added to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List for its role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarize artificial islands in the South China Sea,” Gangopadhyay said.

China Communications Construction Co Ltd (CCCC) was among dozens of Chinese firms the United States blacklisted in 2020 for its role in helping the Chinese military construct and militarise artificial islands in the South China Sea, most of which China claims as its own.

CCCC had also been cited by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank for engaging in fraudulent business practices, he said.

Following the U.S. blacklisting, then Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin had said he would recommend the Philippine government terminate deals with Chinese firms included in the list.

According to the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), two of the six authorized reclamation projects in Manila Bay are being carried out by CCCC subsidiaries China Harbour Engineering Company and China First Highway Engineering Co. Ltd.

There was no immediate comment from CCC.

Retired Philippine Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio, a vocal critic of China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the South China Sea, said Chinese companies that took part in the extensive dredging and land reclamations to build Beijing’s islands in waters where Manila’s sovereign rights have been upheld in an international arbitration ruling should be banned from doing business in the Philippines.

“They clearly violated Philippine environmental laws,” Carpio told The Associated Press. “Worse, they helped China seize Philippine island territories and maritime zones.”

Manila Bay's shores are home to a number of historical sites and government offices, including the U.S. Embassy.

Image source: AP