Philippines Says CCP’s Claim to South China Sea Reef Is Disinformation, Warfare

‘Their illegal presence, coercive, and aggressive actions, and deceptive messaging have been in play since 1992 up to the present,’ its armed forces said.

A Chinese coast guard vessel stays beside suspected Chinese militia ships near Thitu island, locally called Pag-asa island, on Nov. 6, 2024. Aaron Favila/AP Photo

The Philippines said its April 27 operation to inspect sandbars claimed by China showed that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is spreading “fake news” to shape public discourse at a politically sensitive time for the Philippines ahead of its May 12 midterm elections.

“We can totally debunk the lie and disinformation by the People’s Republic of China that they have already occupied the Pagasa cays,” Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela told reporters on April 28, referring to a group of small islands also known as the Sandy Cays.