Were Supplies Air Dropped for Filipino Crews in the South China Sea “Seized” or “Lawfully Inspected?”

Video via the Armed Forces of the Philippines

Two larger China Coast Guard (CCG) boats aggressively blocked Filipino crews from retrieving a batch of airdropped supplies this week, according to a video released on Tuesday by the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

While Filipino authorities claim the supplies were “seized,” Chinese Communist Party media outlets say the shipment was “lawfully inspected” by the CCG after the airdrop was made “without China’s permission.”

  • Get a daily email packed with the latest news and analysis from Africa, Asia, and across the Global South.
  • Read exclusive insights on the key trends shaping China’s relations across the Global South.
  • Full access to the News Feed that provides daily updates on Chinese engagement in the Global South.

China, Africa and the Global South... find out what’s happening.

Subscribe today for unlimited access.

OR

Already a subscriber? Log in Click Here to Learn More
by Eric Olander

Most Read

1
Developing Countries’ Debt Servicing Costs to China Are Significant, but Nowhere Near as Much as Other Creditors
2
Uncertainty Roils Minerals Markets
3 Chinese Military Fans Discuss Why Indonesia Bought Rafale Instead of J-10C
4 From J-10C to Kaan? Indonesia’s Fighter Jet Deal With Turkey Shocks Chinese Military Fans
5
Indonesia Goes Nuclear, Taps China and Russia for Modular Reactors
6
Chinese Cargo Planes Secretly Ferrying Supplies to Iran, Claim Online Sleuths

You Might Like

How Chinese Maritime Forces Tried to Blockade a Philippines Re-Supply Mission in the South China Sea

In this image taken by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), seven Chinese vessels, including unmarked “maritime militia” ships, surrounded a pair of PCG ships during a re-supply mission on Friday.

Philippines-China Rail Cooperation In Crosshairs as Maritime Tensions Escalate

The Philippines is in a juggling act as tensions with Beijing escalate in the South China Sea but the countries remain engaged in multiple infrastructure projects. The two sides recently updated a Belt ...

Experts Weigh In on China-Philippines Standoffs in the South China Sea

Here is a sliver of the growing commentary emerging about the Philippines’ attempt to fight off what it sees as incursions by Chinese forces into its backyard in the South China Sea.

Philippines Will Give Up ‘Not One Inch’ of Territory in South China Sea

The photo above, posted on X by reporter Joseph Morong of Philippine news outlet GMA News, shows part of an exhibit at a Manila mall entitled “Not One Inch.” Other poster-size photos at the ...

What is The China-Global South Project?

Independent

The China-Global South Project is passionately independent, non-partisan and does not advocate for any country, company or culture.

News

A carefully curated selection of the day’s most important China-Global South stories. Updated 24 hours a day by human editors. No bots, no algorithms.

Analysis

Diverse, often unconventional insights from scholars, analysts, journalists and a variety of stakeholders in the China-Global South discourse.

Networking

A unique professional network of China-Africa scholars, analysts, journalists and other practioners from around the world.

More about CGSP