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Philippines opens key coast guard base in the disputed South China Sea
The new command will oversee about 68,000 square kilometers and add a permanently stationed ship, officials said.
- On Thursday, April 9, Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan, Senator Erwin Tulfo, and Transport Secretary Giovanni Lopez unveiled the nation's first dedicated command center on Thitu Island, locally called Pag-asa Island.
- Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea despite a 2016 arbitration ruling invalidating its expansive claims; this base asserts sovereignty while bolstering security for about 400 Filipino villagers on Thitu.
- The new Coast Guard District Kalayaan Island Group covers about 68,000 square kilometers and will be overseen by a commodore-level commander with a permanently stationed ship, additional response vessels, and specialists for law enforcement and search-and-rescue.
- On Thursday afternoon, the Philippine Coast Guard accused Chinese forces of firing flares toward a patrol aircraft near Subi Reef and Mischief Reef, labeling the maneuver "a clear and deliberate act of bullying."
- Kalayaan town officials announced plans to launch "patriotic tours" to Pag-asa Island, while substations on Kota and Parola islands will be upgraded to full station status to reinforce the country's presence.
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Associated Press News+9 Reposted by 9 other sources
Philippines opens key coast guard base in the disputed South China Sea
The Philippines has unveiled a major coast guard base on Thitu Island in the South China Sea. The move is seen as a stand to protect its sovereignty in a region closely monitored by China.
·United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources24
Leaning Left9Leaning Right4Center7Last UpdatedBias Distribution45% Left
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources lean Left
45% Left
L 45%
C 35%
R 20%
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