(11 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Manila, Philippine – 11 June 2024
1. Protesters marching wearing boat costumes with signs reading (English) “China stop harassing Filipino fishermen”, “Independence from Chinese aggression!”
2. Protesters holding flag while chanting (Tagalog) “China out now”
3. Mid of street protest
4. Various of protester holding placard with a mocked photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping “Chinese pirates! Get out of Philippine waters!
5. Protesters holding Philippine flag
6. Woman waving small flag wearing placard on head reading (English) “Defend Filipino fishers!”
7. Protest leaders talking to journalist
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Rafaela David, protest leader:
“We are celebrating the Philippine Independence Day on its eve here in front of the Chinese Consular office. This is our way of celebrating the courage and heroism of Filipinos who fought against occupation by foreign aggressors in the past. And this is also our way of telling China that we have a history of courage against aggressors, and we will not be cowed by their present occupation and harassment in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) .”
9. Various of protesters holding Winnie the Pooh doll and Philippine flag
10. Tight of doll pan right to placard reading (English) “China, out of the West Philippine Sea”
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of Filipino activists on Tuesday marched towards the Chinese consulate in Manila, on the eve of the Philippine independence day, calling for “independence against China’s aggressive militarization” in the region.
The protest stems from a series of aggressive maneuvers by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG), including harassment of Philippine resupply missions, confiscation of supplies meant for frontliners, and obstruction of medical evacuations at disputed shoals in the South China Sea.
“This is our way of celebrating the courage and heroism of Filipinos who fought against occupation by foreign aggressors in the past and this is also our way of telling China that we have a history of courage against aggressors and we will not be cowed by their current occupation and harassment in the West Philippine sea (South China Sea),” said protest leader Rafaela David
The Philippines says the shoal, which lies less than 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from its coast, falls within its internationally recognized exclusive economic zone and often cites a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea based on historical grounds.
After the grounding of the Philippine navy ship, China surrounded the shoal with its coast guard and suspected militia ships in an increasingly tense territorial standoff that since last year has led to skirmishes and collisions that damaged Philippine supply boats and injured several Filipino navy personnel.
The territorial disputes have strained relations and sparked fears the conflict could bring China and the United States, a longtime treaty ally of the Philippines, into a military confrontation. Washington lays no territorial claims to the busy seaway, a key global trade route, but has warned that it’s obligated to defend the Philippines if Filipino forces, ships and aircraft come under an armed attack in the South China Sea.
Aside from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are involved in the long-seething territorial disputes, which are regarded as a flashpoint in Asia and a delicate fault line in the U.S.-China rivalry in the region.
AP video shot by Joeal Calupitan
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