A Chinese ship shadows a Filipino coastguard vessel conducting patrols near Scarborough Shoal. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard Handout via AFP
A Chinese ship shadows a Filipino coastguard vessel conducting patrols near Scarborough Shoal. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard Handout via AFP
Lucio Blanco Pitlo III
Opinion

Opinion

Lucio Blanco Pitlo III

Beijing’s South China Sea boldness puts the Philippines’ foreign policy balancing act under pressure

  • An increasing number of Chinese incursions in waters the Philippines claims as its own are only being made public days or weeks after the fact
  • Such reporting lags may indicate a desire for discretion – or show that Manila is timing its announcements to raise the stakes against Beijing

A Chinese ship shadows a Filipino coastguard vessel conducting patrols near Scarborough Shoal. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard Handout via AFP
A Chinese ship shadows a Filipino coastguard vessel conducting patrols near Scarborough Shoal. Photo: Philippine Coast Guard Handout via AFP
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