Public opinion manufacturing consent. Philippines has been given marching orders to follow US' instructions to the letter
South China Sea: Chinese ship orders Philippine plane flying over Spratlys to ‘leave immediately’
- The coastguard pilot of the aircraft, carrying journalists, responded that they were flying within Philippine territory in the disputed waterway
- Security personnel also spotted nearly 20 Chinese boats in waters around some of the Manila-occupied islands and reefs
As a Philippine coastguard plane carrying journalists flew over the Spratly Islands in the hotly disputed South China Sea, a Chinese voice issued a stern command over the radio: “Leave immediately.”
AFP was one of several media outlets given the rare opportunity on Thursday to fly over some of the dozens of tiny islands and reefs where the Philippines, China and several other nations have competing claims.