August 18, 2026

Marking another attempt to smear China's legitimate actions over Huangyan Dao, a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson claimed that China's possible "militarization" of the island could allow it to dominate much of the South China Sea and threaten freedom of navigation. Chinese experts said the claim deliberately hypes the so-called "China threat" rhetoric and turns the facts on their head, arguing that while Manila itself has been strengthening its military presence and fueling regional tensions, it appears to be demanding unrestricted access for its own vessels to waters around China's Huangyan Dao under the guise of "freedom of navigation."

PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela claimed on Monday that Huangyan Dao is the last remaining point needed to complete China's "iron triangle" in the disputed waters, according to Manila Bulletin. 

Tarriela claimed during the National Maritime Council's (NMC) first semester press briefing in Manila that if connecting the Xisha Islands with Huangyan Dao, and Huangyan Dao with the Nansha Qundao, "it will allow China to dominate the entire maritime space of the South China Sea." He claimed that such pattern threatens freedom of navigation in a route carrying a large share of global trade.

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https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202608/1368460.shtml