News
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US ship conducts navigation operation near Second Thomas Shoal
A U.S. naval ship conducted Monday the first known freedom of navigation operation (FONOP) near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, a move condemned by China as “illegal.” “On December 4, the USS Giffords littoral combat ship trespassed into the waters adjacent to Ren’ai Reef in China’s Nansha Islands without the […]
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[ANALYSIS] China’s increased coercive activities in the WPS: Recalibrating the PH’s security response
In the past few weeks, the tension arising from China’s coercive tactics at the West Philippine Sea (WPS) has escalated. At the Second Thomas Shoal last November 10, 38 Chinese vessels swarmed around the adjacent waters; water cannons along with reckless maneuvers were employed to harass our vessels involved in the resupply mission. In a […]
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Civilian mission to West PH Sea turns back after China’s ‘constant shadowing’
MANILA, Philippines – A historic civilian-led convoy to the West Philippine Sea won’t be pushing through after all, following the “constant shadowing” of China vessels, and the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) use of water cannons against Philippine vessels during a military resupply mission to a shoal nearby, some 105 nautical miles off the coast of […]
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PH tycoon cautious on 2024 growth outlook amid West PH Sea dispute
MANILA, Philippines -Billionaire Teresita Sy-Coson, head of the shopping mall and banking giant SM Investments Corp., is cautiously optimistic about growth in 2024 as spiking tensions in the West Philippine Sea temper the robust economic outlook. “Left to ourselves, we are going to do well but there are geopolitical tensions and climate change,” Coson, who […]
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Marcos: PH working to resolve WPS row for new energy exploration projects
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 17) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said his administration is striving to settle the West Philippine Sea dispute so that new energy exploration projects could begin before the Malampaya gas field starts to run dry. “We are still at a deadlock right now. It is in a conflict area. So, […]
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China warns Philippines against South China Sea ‘miscalculation’
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned the Philippines that any miscalculation in their escalating dispute in the South China Sea would bring a resolute response, and urged dialogue to address “serious difficulties” between the two neighbors. Beijing and Manila have traded sharp accusations in recent months over a succession of run-ins in the […]
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Philippines rebukes China over South China Sea claims
SUMMARY MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine defense minister rebuked China on Wednesday, December 20, for accusing his country of provoking tension and stirring trouble in the South China Sea, saying only Beijing believed what it was saying. “Truth and in fact, no country in the world, none, supports unequivocally their claim to the whole of […]
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FACT CHECK: No US Coast Guard ship deployed vs China in West PH Sea
SUMMARY Claim: A video shows the United States Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf (WMSL 750) arriving in the Philippines to confront China over its recent acts of aggression in the West Philippine Sea. Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video published on December 10 has over 137,575 views and 1,400 likes as of writing. At the […]
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‘Careful,’ Marcos warns against overreactions in West Philippine Sea
SUMMARY After back-to-back water cannon incidents in the West Philippine Sea and calls for Manila to reject Beijing’s top envoy here, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appears to be taking a step back, saying it’s important “to be very careful that we do not overreact” when it comes to what he calls the “most complex geopolitical […]
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FACT CHECK: US warship did not destroy Chinese drones in West PH Sea
SUMMARY CLAIM: A dozen Chinese drones were destroyed by the USS Benfold in the West Philippine Sea. Why we fact-checked this: The video bearing the claim was posted on December 9 by the YouTube channel “PH TV,” which has 333,000 subscribers. It has gained 29,596 views, 1,100 likes, and 145 comments as of writing. The facts: […]
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[In This Economy] How can the PH economy become less reliant on China?
SUMMARY The short answer is that it’s easier said than done. With rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea, there’s increasing talk now of the Philippines becoming less dependent on the Chinese economy – as a signal that we’re not tolerating China’s illegal incursions in our very own backyard. Most recently, law professor and maritime […]
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WATCH: The first-ever civilian resupply mission to the West Philippine Sea
Rappler joined volunteers from the Atin Ito activist coalition, the first-ever civilian convoy to the West Philippine Sea, on Sunday, December 10. This, despite the ongoing harassment by Chinese maritime militia ships and Chinese Coast Guard vessels. Atin Ito staged donation drives, including a concert, to gather supplies for West Philippine Sea “frontliners” – fisherfolk, […]