'Welcome to CHINA' greets Philippine officials on trip to disputed South China SeaA Philippine soldier peers through an observation telescope from a viewing deck in Philippine-occupied Thitu Island in the disputed South China Sea on Saturday. (Photo: Reuters)THITU ISLAND, ​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." Among those on board were Senator Risa Hontiveros and Coast Guard spokesperson Jay Tarriela, both outspoken critics of Beijing's actions in the South China Sea. China claims most of the South China Sea, despite the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidating the claims in a 2016 ruling. China's actions in the South China Sea, which have included water-cannoning and close-quarter manoeuvring of ships, have resulted in collisions and injury to Philippine crews.

Source: Bangkok Post February 24, 2026 04:18 UTC