The Sierra Madre has become the most dangerous flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific
Philippines secretly reinforces ship at centre of South China Sea dispute
Related:
China’s latest actions not an armed attack – Palace
The Sierra Madre has become the most dangerous flashpoint in the Indo-Pacific
Philippines secretly reinforces ship at centre of South China Sea dispute
Related:
China’s latest actions not an armed attack – Palace
In a recent article, Reuters confirms what many knew for years, that the United States government and its various departments and agencies have been conducting global disinformation campaigns targeting nations it seeks to undermine, and whose governments it seeks to overthrow.
Reuters Exposes Washington’s Global Disinformation Campaign: The Rest of the Story
Previously:
Philippines: Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic
It was the Philippines that rammed the CCG!* US-funded Rappler** doesn’t mention the other soldiers who were injured.
Philippine Sailor Severely Injured, Vessels Damaged as Chinese Block South China Sea Mission
Meanwhile, a Philippine government release from the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea stated that ships from the People’s Liberation Army Navy, China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia performed “dangerous maneuvers.” However, there is no mention of injury to Philippine personnel in the release. The statement also claimed that Chinese forces rammed and towed Philippine vessels, although it’s unclear to what extent the latter occurred during the incident. This is the first reported instance of China towing – defined as pulling, pushing or hauling – Philippine vessels in their South China Sea disputes.
Related:
Read More »MANILA, Philippines — A lawmaker on Sunday called on the leaders of the House of Representatives to initiate a thorough probe into the alleged secret anti-inoculation campaign of the United States (US) military aimed at undermining China during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ACT solon wants to probe alleged US Pentagon secret anti-vax campaign (archived)
Previously:
Philippines: Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic
Manila’s persistent claimjumping efforts display the extent of its avariciousness
The latest incident in the waters adjacent to China’s Ren’ai Reef [AKA Second Thomas Shoal], in which there was slight collision when an illegally intruding Philippine supply ship dangerously approached a China Coast Guard vessel, is the latest in a series of risky encounters between Chinese law enforcement vessels and Philippine vessels near Ren’ai Reef in recent months due to the Philippines’ brazen land-grabbing antics.
Such incidents have occurred with increasing frequency as the Philippines has stepped up its efforts to ship construction materials to an aging warship it deliberately ran aground on the reef so it can make it a permanent facility, thus driving in its stake to claim the reef as its territory.
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With new procedures coming into effect on June 15, the China Coast Guard will be equipped with more forceful legal measures to enforce maritime law and advance China’s maritime legal governance in its territorial waters, including detaining foreign ships that have illegally entered China’s waters.
Related:
China and Philippines Quarrel over South China Sea Collision
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson condemned China’s “aggressive, dangerous” maneuvers in a post on X, saying the collision had “caused bodily injury.”
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In response, the Philippine coastguard said on Monday it has ordered the deployment of two vessels to patrol and ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen at Scarborough Shoal – a second flashpoint about 640 km (345 nautical miles) away from Second Thomas Shoal.
Separately, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a statement it had concluded a two-day joint maritime exercise with the militaries of Canada, Japan, and the Philippines’ within Manila’s EEZ in the South China Sea.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. military launched a secret campaign to counter what it perceived as China’s growing influence in the Philippines, a nation hit especially hard by the deadly virus.
Pentagon ran secret anti-vax campaign to undermine China during pandemic
China Daily’s ‘Media Unlocked’ TikTok account banned
Media Unlocked’s accounts on Facebook, YouTube, and X, which are not flagged as government media outfits, are still up, however. Felipe F. Salvosa II

IN-DEPTH: AI bolsters China state media’s TikTok offensive to influence narrative on sea dispute
Seeking credibility, China Daily’s ‘Media Unlocked’ TikTok passes off opinion as news
CNN:
Erin Burnett OutFront May 23, 2024 1PM Transcript
“RIPLEY (voice-over): Chinese state media is using A.I.-enhanced videos on TikTok, altering the reporter’s voice and face. A disclosure on screen for just a few seconds, easy to miss.
[01:39:52]
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Under China’s jurisdiction.
RIPLEY: The video is pushing Beijing’s narrative on the South China Sea.
Is this a threat to democracy?
FELIPE SALVOSA II, JOURNALISM PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS: Most definitely. I think China has found a more cost-effective way to get its message across.
RIPLEY: Turning today’s digital landscape into a battleground for truth, where seeing is no longer believing.
Every time I do a story about these deepfake videos, what strikes me is the quality keeps improving. Our researcher (INAUDIBLE) spent hours putting these through algorithms to determine with 99 percent accuracy whether these videos are real, whether they’re fake, whether the voice has been altered, the face has been altered. Who on social media has time for that and a lot of people don’t take the time which experts say is dangerous, particularly in democracies when people are watching these videos and then potentially using the information they hear to make decisions about how to vote.

While reiterating that the arbitral tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration exceeded its jurisdiction and made an illegitimate ruling, Chinese experts warned on Monday that the Philippines is scheming for “new arbitration” on the issue, which would undermine regional peace and stability.
Experts warn of Philippines scheming for ‘new arbitration’ on South China Sea
Related:
Philippines should use legal, moral leverage in West Philippine Sea – expert
Ray Powell, director of the SeaLight Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, said China is using an “asymmetrical” strategy through military might in asserting its claims in the region.
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He also expressed support for the Philippine government’s plan to file another case against China, this time over the environmental destruction that China has caused in the West Philippine Sea.
PH to complete environmental case vs. China in ‘few weeks’- DOJ
Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin’s Regular Press Conference on May 20, 2024
The Office of Naval Research funded Stanford’s GKC
I’m no expert, but I had a feeling that they would back in April, at least:
Philippine Coast Guard clarifies ‘assertive transparency’ tact
Vietnamese Poachers using Cyanide and Dynamite Fishing in the Philippines’ EEZ
The Philippines released the video of CCG ‘stealing’ supplies after China released the footage of the gunmen on the BRP Sierra Madre. This, after BBM said that any Filipino death would trigger the US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty.
Philippines’ grounding warship illegal, escalating tensions unacceptable: Chinese FM
H/T: rhk111
WikiSpooks: Rappler (Sponsored by Facebook, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, Google, Internews, National Endowment for Democracy, Open Society Foundations, Omidyar Network)
As the US celebrates $95.3 billion in military funding for Israel, Taiwan, Ukraine, and the US, we unpack the US Indo-Pacific strategy and what’s at stake.
Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World
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