Philippines, China Tensions Increase Ahead of Blinken Visit to Manila

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken attends the Third Summit for Democracy in Seoul on March 18, 2024. Anthony WALLACE / AFP

The Chinese and Philippine governments spent the weekend sparring with one another over which country’s territorial claims to portions of the South China Sea are more legitimate than the other’s.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s dismissal of Beijing’s 10-dash line that claims most of the sea as its own and added that the dotted map dates back to 1948.

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by Eric Olander

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