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'Welcome to CHINA' greets Philippine officials on trip to disputed South China Sea
Philippine officials, including Senator Risa Hontiveros, reaffirm territorial claims amid Chinese naval and coast guard presence near Thitu Island, impacting local fishermen’s access.
- On Feb 21, Senator Risa Hontiveros and Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela landed on Thitu Island to speak to residents and assert control, saying `We will never give up the Kalayaan Island Group, including Pag-asa`.
- Chinese Coast Guard vessels, a People's Liberation Army Navy ship and Chinese fishing boats lingered within sight of Thitu's shore during the visit, amid water-cannoning and close-quarter manoeuvring in the South China Sea.
- Amid visible Chinese vessels, Filipino fishermen report being pushed into less productive waters, with 45-year-old fisherman Rando Asiado saying `There are times when Chinese Coast Guard vessels would chase us away, so we are forced to stay on one side of the island. And when we try to fish on the other side, Chinese drones fly over us.`
- The visit is likely to draw scrutiny from Beijing and add strain to the dispute, while Manila's appointment of a foreign ministry spokesperson on maritime affairs reflects heightened sensitivity.
- At just 37ha Thitu is the largest of the nine Philippines-held Spratly features and sits about 450km from the mainland, with roughly 400 residents living modestly amid Chinese maritime pressure.
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8 Articles
Philippine Officials Reassert Sovereignty on Thitu Amid South China Sea Tensions
A recent visit by Philippine officials to Thitu Island, the country’s largest outpost in the contested Spratly archipelago, has underscored the intensifying pressures in the South China Sea. As the Philippine Coast Guard plane descended, passengers received a startling notification: “Welcome to CHINA.” Among those on board were Senator Risa Hontiveros and Coast Guard spokesperson […] The post Philippine Officials Reassert Sovereignty on Thitu Am…
'Welcome to CHINA' greets Philippine officials on trip to disputed South China Sea
As the Philippine Coast Guard plane descended toward the country's most strategically important outpost in the disputed South China Sea, passengers' phones lit up with a roaming alert: "Welcome to CHINA."
·United Kingdom
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Total News Sources8
Leaning Left2Leaning Right3Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution43% Right
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources lean Right
43% Right
L 29%
C 28%
R 43%
Factuality
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