China’s influence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) extends beyond military and economic strategies to the realm of information warfare. The use of fake news and disinformation to confuse and divide the Filipino public is an ongoing challenge for the Philippine government.
According to the Philippine Coast Guard, here are five key narratives pushed by pro-China trolls that aim to distort the truth and undermine the Philippines’ legal and territorial rights in the region:
1. Claiming the Philippines’ legal standing is weak
Pro-China trolls frequently argue that the Philippines’ legal position in the West Philippine Sea is weak, attempting to undermine the 2016 Arbitral Award. They claim that China’s “historical claim” supersedes international law.
Commodore Jay Tarriela refuted this, saying, “They undermine the 2016 Arbitral Award and assert that the PRC holds a much more justifiable historical claim with regard to their 9-, now-10-dash lines.”
2. Distorting the narrative of maritime incidents
In attempts to distort the truth behind maritime incidents, such as the 2019 encounter at Recto Bank and the 2021 swarm near Julian Felipe Reef, pro-China trolls often shift blame.
“They present a distorted version of events, echoing China’s narrative that incidents occur due to Philippine actions that resulted in collisions,” said Tarriela. “Binangga na tayo, papalabasin pa ng trolls, Philippine Coast Guard ang may kasalanan dahil tayo daw ang na bangga ng China Coast Guard.”
3. Labeling the Philippines’ stance as U.S.-driven
One of the most damaging narratives is the accusation that the Philippines’ decision to stand firm against China is solely driven by the United States.
“They argue that the Philippines’ decision to stand firm against the People’s Republic of China’s aggression is merely dictated by the United States,” said Tarriela. “They suggest that our transparency efforts are orchestrated by the Americans.”
4. Spreading defeatist rhetoric
Pro-China trolls also use defeatist rhetoric, claiming that the Philippines is powerless against China.
Tarriela rejected this notion, stressing that resistance is not futile: “They contend that the tensions in the West Philippine Sea have only escalated under the current administration of President Bongbong Marcos. They said that there were no such tensions during the time of former President Duterte. But that’s simply not true. It’s part of their strategy to instill fear.”
5. False comparison with the Duterte administration’s approach
Perhaps one of the most insidious narratives is the false comparison between the Marcos and Duterte administrations, implying that tensions only began to rise after President Marcos took office.
“They say that there were no significant tensions during the time of former President Duterte,” Tarriela said. “But the reality is that many incidents were downplayed or concealed, contributing to a false sense of security among the Filipino people.”
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These narratives, though widely circulated online, do not change the facts on the ground. The Philippines’ position in the West Philippine Sea is grounded in international law, and the struggle for territorial integrity is far from a simple geopolitical chess game—it is a fight for sovereignty, truth, and the future of the Filipino people.
As Tarriela put it, “No amount of falsehood can prevail against the truth.” VUV
