Wu Shicun on why Beijing will not rule out Scarborough Shoal construction
2026-07-13 11:01:46 source：scmp
July 13, 2026
With Manila intensifying its “transparency” campaign, how does China view the current situation and what challenges does it face?
Manila’s so-called “assertive transparency” initiative operates on its own distinct logic and playbook. [The initiative includes documenting and publicising what Manila calls Chinese grey-zone tactics, such as blockades and the use of water cannons.]
Since 2023, the Philippines has deliberately intruded into the waters around Renai Jiao [the Chinese name for the disputed Second Thomas Shoal], deliberately provoking China into intercepting its vessels or deploying water cannons.
On-board media outlets then package these confrontation scenes into short, viral videos and disseminate them globally. These clips manufacture an international perception that “China is the bully in the South China Sea and the Philippines is the victim”. This is the core mechanism behind their public relations strategy.
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