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China and the Philippines

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Wednesday, 22 July 2026Geopolitics

New tensions between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea

At the disputed Ren'ai Jiao (Ayungin) reef there has again been an incident between China and the Philippines. Beijing accuses Manila and Taiwan of provocation, while the Philippine armed forces reject China's account. The new military chief Nafarrete vows to hold firm.

The disputed Ren'ai Jiao reef, called Ayungin in the Philippines and Second Thomas Shoal internationally, is once again the scene of a clash between Chinese and Philippine forces. Chinese state media such as the Global Times accuse the Philippine regional authorities and Taiwan of fueling Manila's claims and speak of provocation. The Philippine armed forces reject China's account according to several reports, for instance the claim that they had agreed to an evacuation mission; their new chief Nafarrete calls on the troops at the reef to hold firm. The FAZ places the boat scuffle within the underlying conflict over who controls which part of the South China Sea. The backdrop is the Philippine ship BRP Sierra Madre, run aground in 1999, and a 2016 Hague arbitration ruling that China rejects. Both sides regularly describe incidents in opposite terms, with accusations of ramming maneuvers and water-cannon use. How stable the provisional arrangement for resupply runs agreed in 2024 still is remains questionable.

FAZGlobal TimesAFP