Philippines and China Reach Temporary Agreement over Contested South China Sea Shoal

Second Thomas Shoal, Spratly Islands, South China Sea Switzerland
Both sides agree to establish mutually acceptable arrangement without conceding territorial claims
China claims sovereignty over Second Thomas Shoal where Philippines maintains naval ship to reinforce maritime claims
Chinese forces seized Philippine navy boats and damaged them on June 17, 2024
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr emphasizes Philippines' territorial rights in West Philippine Sea
Philippines and China reach temporary agreement over contested South China Sea Shoal
Philippines and China Reach Temporary Agreement over Contested South China Sea Shoal

The South China Sea, a vast body of water in the Pacific Ocean, has been the subject of territorial disputes between China and several neighboring countries including the Philippines. The latest flashpoint in this long-standing conflict is the Second Thomas Shoal, where a dilapidated World War II-era vessel, the Sierra Madre, is run aground. Both sides have recently reached a temporary agreement to allow the Philippines to resupply the ship and de-escalate tensions in the area.

China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, including Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines maintains a naval ship to reinforce its maritime claims. The Chinese coast guard has repeatedly prevented Filipino vessels from delivering supplies to their outpost at the shoal using water cannons and blocking maneuvers.

The worst confrontation occurred on June 17, 2024, when Chinese forces seized Philippine navy boats and damaged them. The Philippines responded by filing a diplomatic protest with China through the United Nations.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has emphasized that the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea in Manila, is part of Philippines' territory and they will assert their rights and interests in it. He made these remarks during his annual state of the nation address to Congress on Monday.

Both sides have now agreed to establish a mutually acceptable arrangement without conceding territorial claims. The details of this deal are yet to be released, but it is hoped that similar arrangements might soothe China's territorial disputes with other governments in the future.

The success of this deal remains to be seen, as tensions between China and the Philippines have been escalating for years. The United States has also been closely monitoring the situation due to its mutual defense treaty with Manila.


Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image

Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • It remains to be seen if this agreement will soothe tensions between China and other neighboring countries in the future.
  • The details of the deal between Philippines and China are yet to be released, it is unclear what the arrangement entails exactly.

Sources

97%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

China, Philippines announce deal to stop clashes in South China Sea

Fox News Media Associated Press Tuesday, 23 July 2024 10:21
  • Unique Points
    • China and the Philippines reached an agreement to end confrontations at Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea.
    • Both sides agreed to establish a mutually acceptable arrangement without conceding territorial claims.
    • Chinese coast guard had prevented Filipino navy from delivering supplies to their outpost at the shoal using water cannons and blocking maneuvers.
    • The worst confrontation occurred on June 17, 2024, when Chinese forces seized Philippine navy boats and damaged them.
  • Accuracy
    • China has disputes with several governments over land and sea borders in the South China Sea.
    • If Philippines sends large amounts of construction materials and attempts to build fixed facilities or a permanent outpost, China will not accept it and will stop it.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (95%)
    The article does not demonstrate any clear bias towards a specific political, religious, ideological or monetary position. However, the author does use language that depicts China as using dangerous blocking maneuvers and violent confrontations to prevent food and other supplies from reaching Filipino navy personnel at the shoal. This could be perceived as an attempt to depict China in a negative light.
    • Chinese coast guard and other forces have used powerful water cannons and dangerous blocking maneuvers to prevent food and other supplies from reaching Filipino navy personnel at Manila’s outpost at the shoal.
      • In the worst confrontation, Chinese forces on motorboats repeatedly rammed and then boarded two Philippine navy boats on June 17 to prevent Filipino personnel from transferring food and other supplies including firearms to the ship outpost in the shallows of the shoal.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      98%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Why does China care about a rust bucket in the middle of the sea?

      The Fixing Site: A Summary of the Article. Michelle Ye Tuesday, 23 July 2024 05:00
      • Unique Points
        • China and the Philippines have reached a temporary agreement to allow the Philippines to resupply a dilapidated World War II-era vessel, the Sierra Madre, in the South China Sea.
        • China claims sovereignty over vast majority of the South China Sea which is rejected by neighboring countries including Philippines.
      • Accuracy
        • Both sides agreed to establish a mutually acceptable arrangement without conceding territorial claims.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      95%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Second Thomas Shoal: deal or no deal?

      Radio Free Asia Tuesday, 23 July 2024 10:24
      • Unique Points
        • China and the Philippines have achieved a 'provisional arrangement' on resupply missions by the Philippines to the Second Thomas Shoal.
        • Both sides agreed to de-escalate tensions in the South China Sea.
      • Accuracy
        • China demands that the Philippines tow away the BRP Sierra Madre and restore the state of hosting no personnel or facilities at Second Thomas Shoal, while allowing Philippines to send living necessities if informed and after on-site verification is conducted.
        • If Philippines sends large amounts of construction materials and attempts to build fixed facilities or a permanent outpost, China will not accept it and will stop it.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (90%)
        The article contains some inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority, but no formal logical fallacies. There are differences in the accounts of the agreement between China and the Philippines, which could be seen as a dichotomous depiction. The author also reports on conflicting statements made by each country without committing any fallacies themselves.
        • ][The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Sunday that both countries had “recognized the need to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and manage differences through dialogue and consultation.”]
        • ][But if the Philippines were to send large amounts of construction materials to the warship and attempted to build fixed facilities or a permanent outpost, China would “absolutely not accept it and will resolutely stop it,” the spokesperson added.]
        • ][Analyst Collin Koh from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore wrote on the X social media platform that China’s version of the agreement “draws more questions than not about whether it will hold at all even before the ink is dry.”]
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      98%

      The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
      (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

      A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

      Marcos says Philippines ‘cannot yield’ in South China Sea dispute

      Al Jazeera Media Network Al Jazeera Tuesday, 23 July 2024 10:25
      • Unique Points
        • Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr states that the Philippines will not yield or waver on its stand regarding territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
        • The Philippine president's remarks come during a time when Manila and Beijing announce a provisional deal to defuse tensions at the Second Thomas Shoal.
        • Marcos emphasizes that the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea in Manila, is part of Philippines’ territory and they will assert their rights and interests in it.
        • China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, including the Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippines maintains a naval ship to reinforce its maritime claims.
        • Violent clashes have occurred recently between Filipino and Chinese troops at the contested Second Thomas Shoal, raising concerns about a possible conflict involving the United States due to its mutual defense treaty with Manila.
      • Accuracy
        • Both sides agreed to establish a mutually acceptable arrangement without conceding territorial claims.
      • Deception (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Fallacies (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Bias (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication