00:00 As tensions escalate in the South China Sea, the Philippines has taken a decisive step,
00:10 deploying ships to a disrupted area where it alleges China is constructing an artificial
00:16 island.
00:17 President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s office issued a statement confirming the deployment,
00:22 emphasizing the need to monitor what it termed as "supposed illegal activities" by China.
00:30 Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson Commodore J. Tariella corroborated these claims, citing
00:36 evidence of small-scale reclamation at the Sabina Shoal, known as Escoda by Manila.
00:42 Despite these assertions, the Chinese embassy in Manila has yet to respond, potentially
00:47 exacerbating bilateral rifts.
00:50 The Philippine National Security Advisor has even called for the expulsion of Chinese diplomats
00:55 over an alleged leak regarding a phone conversation about the maritime dispute.
00:59 For more information on the Philippines, visit www.ilo.org. For more information on the Philippines, visit www.ilo.org.
01:06 For more information on the Philippines, visit www.ilo.org.
01:13 For over a year, Beijing and Manila have been locked in heated standoffs over their
01:43 competing claims in the South China Sea, a critical waterway through which $3 trillion
01:49 worth of trade flows annually.
01:51 China's expansive territorial assertions, including those contested by the Philippines,
01:56 Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Vietnam, were deemed invalid by the Permanent Court of Arbitration
02:02 in 2016.
02:04 China's extensive land reclamation efforts, accompanied by the construction of military
02:08 facilities, have raised alarms in Washington and across the region.
02:14 At the heart of the dispute is the Sabina Shoal, where a Philippine vessel has been
02:17 stationed to document alleged Chinese activities, including the dumping of crushed corals.
02:24 Commodore Tariella highlighted the presence of numerous Chinese ships, prompting concerns
02:29 over environmental damage.
02:30 As the Philippines Coast Guard plans to conduct investigations with marine scientists, it
02:35 aims to maintain a prolonged presence at the Sabina Shoal, which serves as a crucial rendezvous
02:41 point for resupply missions to Filipino troops stationed nearby.
02:47 Amidst these developments, tensions persist between Manila and Beijing, underscoring the
02:52 complex geopolitical dynamics in the South China Sea.
02:56 [music]
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