In previous confrontations between China and the Philippines at sea, the Chinese were slow to release video and to rebut Philippine allegations of what transpired.
Not this time.
Chinese state media and influencers were quick to release footage and it seems clear that they anticipated doing this by showing videos of the collision from multiple angles.
Chinese media influencers Hu Xijin and Zhang Heqing, as well as Communist Party-affiliated Global Times, were quick to release detailed video footage of the incidents just hours after they occurred.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines also released high-quality video from multiple angles, showing collisions and aerial footage.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?: China’s more sophisticated and rapid use of video follows the Philippines’ increasingly savvy media approach in their South China Sea skirmishes. China’s change in tactics suggests its recognition of the need to not let the media narrative be dominated by adversaries in the region.
SUGGESTED READING:
- Reuters: Philippines Labels China as an ‘Aggressor’ Fanning Tensions in the South China Sea by Enrico Dela Cruz and Karen Lema
- China Global South Project: Philippines Leverages Media in Its Asymmetric Territorial Confrontation With China by Eric Olander
