The Philippine coast guard inaugurated a new monitoring base Friday on a remote island occupied by Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea as Manila ramps up efforts to counter China's increasingly aggressive actions in the strategic waterway. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)The Philippine coast guard inaugurated a new monitoring base Friday on a remote island occupied by Filipino forces in the disputed South China Sea as Manila ramps up efforts to counter China’s increasingly aggressive actions in the strategic waterway. It’s pure bullying,” Ano told reporters after the ceremony, describing the actions of Chinese ships as flouting international law. Surrounded by white beaches, the tadpole-shaped Thitu Island is called Pag-asa — Tagalog for hope — by about 250 Filipino villagers. It’s one of nine islands, islets and atolls that have been occupied by Philippine forces since the 1970s in the South China Sea’s Spratlys archipelago.

Source: The Standard December 01, 2023 17:00 UTC