Rowegie Abanto

Filipino youth activists brave the waves as they hoist a Philippine flag on the shores of Zambales on Monday facing the West Philippine Sea as a symbol of the country’s claim of the disputed territory. The group embarked on the flag-raising in time with the celebration of Philippine Independence. Jun Dumaguing, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/174158342843120170612-independecne-flag-zambales-jd (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Filipino youth activists brave the waves as they hoist a Philippine flag on the shores of Zambales. The group embarked on the flag-raising in time with the celebration of Philippine Independence. <em>Jun Dumaguing, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Philippines on Monday rejected China&#x27;s latest accusation that Manila was being used by the West to portray Beijing as the villain in the South China Sea tensions.</p><p>On March 7, China&#x27;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs <a href="https://www.mfa.gov.cn/eng/wjbzhd/202503/t20250307_11570290.html">published Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi&#x27;s statement</a> characterizing the confrontations in the South China Sea merely a &quot;shadow play&quot; performed by Manila at the behest of &quot;external forces&quot; to tarnish China&#x27;s reputation.</p><p>&quot;For every move on the sea by the Philippines, there is a screenplay written by external forces, the show is livestreamed by Western media, and the plot is invariably to smear China,&quot; he said.</p><p>Manila&#x27;s coast guard has been employing what it called transparency initiative by inviting members of the media to document and publish China&#x27;s aggression during routine maritime sails and resupply missions in the West Philippine Sea, the smaller portion in the South China Sea that the Philippines claims.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/7/philippine-angels-aim-to-de-escalate-south-china-sea-encounters-1529">Philippine &#x27;Angels&#x27; aim to de-escalate South China Sea encounters</a></div><p>China has repeatedly said after confrontations that it was simply protecting its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely.</p><p>Wang said that while China takes into account &quot;the actual conditions out of humanitarian spirit&quot; during tensions, he warned that &quot;infringement and provocation will backfire&quot; and &quot;those acting as others&#x27; chess pieces are bound to be discarded.&quot; </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>PH AN INDEPENDENT STATE</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>In a statement, the Philippines&#x27; Department of Foreign Affairs clapped back at China, saying &quot;no creative analogy or play of words will mask the real issue,&quot; which was Beijing&#x27;s unlawful acts in the South China Sea.</p><p>&quot;China should recognize that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and the interests and well-being of the Filipino people,&quot; the DFA said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/3/8/ph-uk-seal-deals-on-joint-maritime-exercises-defense-cooperation-2236">PH, UK seal deals on joint maritime exercises, defense cooperation</a></div><p>The DFA pointed out China&#x27;s refusal to abide by the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 arbitral award favoring the Philippines&#x27; sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>It also highlighted &quot;the adverse effects of China&#x27;s disregard for the rules-based international order on Filipino communities genuinely affected by China’s illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive behavior at sea.&quot;</p><p>&quot;We call on countries to be circumspect and to avoid actions and words that only contribute to tensions in the region,&quot; the DFA added.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>NOT THE FIRST TIME</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>China in March 2024 <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/6/china-says-us-using-philippines-as-pawn-in-south-china-sea-1536">accused the United States of using the Philippines as a &quot;pawn&quot; in the South China Sea</a>, as hostilities between the two Asian nations escalated over their territorial dispute in the region.</p><p>Manila summoned a Chinese representative at the time after it said China Coast Guard vessels caused two collisions with Philippine boats and water cannoned one of them during a resupply mission.</p><p>China said it &quot;took control measures&quot; against Philippine ships&#x27; &quot;illegal intrusion&quot; into waters it claims, as well as accusing a Philippine ship of &quot;intentionally&quot; ramming a Chinese one.</p><p>&quot;China urges the United States not to use the Philippines as a pawn to stir up trouble in the South China Sea,&quot; foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning told reporters when asked about the United States&#x27; condemnation of China&#x27;s actions as &quot;provocative.&quot;</p><div><strong>— With report from Agence France-Presse</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pbz8jx4YBFc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><strong></strong><br/></div>

<p>The Philippines on Monday rejected China's latest insinuation that Manila was being used by the West to portray Beijing as the villain in the South China Sea tensions.</p>

The Philippines on Monday rejected China's latest insinuation that Manila was being used by the West to portray Beijing as the villain in the South China Sea tensions.

Philippines asserts independence after China's 'chess piece' comment

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Philippines asserts independence after China's 'chess piece' comment

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 10, 2025 01:24 PM PHT

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