Little Stories. Big Implications.

War Games 
US Marine Corps in Conjunct with Philippine Armed Forces, practice taking an Airstrip in Philippines territory which is just miles from Taiwan. Is China getting the message yet? 

Convoy Updates


Miscellaneous Interconnected  Headlines & Stories 




Tentative Conclusion
We are seeing the swift decay of diplomatic relations between China and The Philippines. This is due to the continued occupation of the waters of The Philippines Exclusive Economic Zone and Territorial waters around various points in the West Philippine Sea. 

There does not seem to be a Diplomatic White Knight riding into the dispute region to negotiate a reasoned settlement between both sides. It is not expected either. The lack of the movement towards a diplomatic settlement is, in no small part, to Xi insisting on control of waters which are not China's legal property. 

There is an abundance of information supporting a conclusion that China, and not the Philippines or her allies, are ardently trying to provoke a fatal incidents. 

There is little to no OSINT information supporting the idea that China is seeking a peaceful resolution. To the contrary, China is acting like The Philippines is a wayward colony which China has to disciplin patiently. China's tone towards The Philippines is very condescending. 

Cliff Potts -- 17 May 2024 

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