1/🚨Flashpoint Sabina Shoal: 🇨🇳PRC ships now deploying south of Sabina Shoal this past 6 hours.
Over past week #China has been messaging intent to aggressively contest any 🇵🇭#Philippines missions to Sabina, where the BRP Teresa Magbanua has been posted since mid-April. [🧵1/x]
2/While no 🇵🇭#Philippines ships are openly broadcasting on AIS () approaching Sabina Shoal, 🇨🇳#China's deployments are clearly intended to cut off approaches from/via the 🇵🇭@coastguardph's base at Buliluyan Port at the southern tip of Palawan. [🧵2/x] sealight.live/posts/what-is-…
3/Last week, 🇨🇳#China's spokespeople & propaganda outlets repeatedly telegraphed 🇨🇳's intent to oppose any attempt by 🇵🇭#Philippines to replace or extend the BRP Teresa Magbanua's stay at Sabina Shoal, which it calls "Xianbin Jiao" and now claims as its "territory". [🧵3/x]
4/🇵🇭#Philippines' BRP Teresa Magbanua has been closely monitored by the 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard & maritime militia. This 17 Aug 🛰️@Satellogic image (via @SkyfiApp) shows 1x🇨🇳CCG (top) & 4x🇨🇳Qiong Sansha Yu militia ships crowding the 🇵🇭@coastguardph ship (left) at Sabina. [🧵4/x]
5/Today may mark could be an escalation of the tensions at Sabina Shoal that SeaLight has been tracking all summer (for background see my 13 May blog post: ). The next few hours will tell. [🧵5/x]sealight.live/posts/flashpoi…
6/🚨BREAKING🚨Weibo post (translated, via @ianellisjones) says 🇨🇳#China Coast Guard implemented "control measures" (usually water cannons) vs. 2 #Philippines Coast Guard ships at Sabina Shoal ("Xianbin Reef"): Ships ID'd as BRP Bagacay (4410) & BRP Cape Engano (4411). [🧵6/x]
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