China’s ‘Humanitarian’ Actions in West Philippine Sea Criticized as Deceptive and Propaganda-Driven

Chinese Humanitarian Aid to Filipino Fisherman Draws Scrutiny Amid Territorial Tensions

A prominent Filipino civil society coalition has questioned China’s motives behind a recent assistance operation to a distressed Filipino fisherman in the West Philippine Sea, characterizing the act as propaganda rather than genuine humanitarian aid.

Atin Ito, a coalition dedicated to protecting the rights of Filipino fishers operating in contested waters, dismissed China’s widely publicized rescue as a calculated public relations effort designed to deflect attention from ongoing territorial disputes.

“We recognize the universal duty to assist people in distress at sea. But what China did was not humanitarianism, it was image management,” said Rafaela David, co-convenor of the Atin Ito Coalition and president of Akbayan Party. “It is propaganda-driven assistance meant to distract us from years of harassment, violence and illegal incursions.”

The incident involved a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyer providing food and water to a Filipino fisherman, according to the Chinese Embassy in Manila. However, David pointed to significant discrepancies in the accounts of the rescue operation.

While Chinese authorities claimed the fisherman had been adrift for three days, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that he had been safely anchored to a payao—a fish aggregating device—for less than 24 hours and was simply waiting for retrieval by his mother vessel.

The coalition raised concerns about the underlying issue of Chinese maritime presence in waters claimed by the Philippines. “This raises the most basic and unavoidable question. Why was China patrolling inside the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone in the first place?” David said. “No act of assistance, however welcome, grants permission to trespass.”

The West Philippine Sea, which overlaps with Beijing’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim to most of the South China Sea, has been a flashpoint of tension between the two nations. The region is strategically important for shipping lanes and rich in fishing grounds and potential energy resources.

In recent years, Filipino fishermen have reported numerous incidents of harassment by Chinese vessels, including water cannon attacks and dangerous maneuvers that have damaged smaller Philippine boats. These confrontations have escalated diplomatic tensions between Manila and Beijing.

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, acknowledged the humanitarian gesture while expressing reservations about China’s presence in the area. “We hope this incident is not exploited as propaganda by China. Instead, it should serve as recognition that Filipino fishermen have full rights to fish in the waters around Bajo de Masinloc,” Tarriela stated.

Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, has been effectively controlled by China since a 2012 standoff, despite being within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone as recognized under international maritime law. A 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invalidated China’s sweeping territorial claims, but Beijing has refused to recognize this decision.

The Atin Ito Coalition warned against allowing this single incident to overshadow China’s broader pattern of behavior in the disputed waters. “China should stop pretending that a bottle of water and a pack of snacks can wipe away years of harassment,” David remarked. “Propaganda-driven assistance does not negate violation of international law, launder aggression, or absolve China of continuing encroachment.”

Maritime security experts note that humanitarian assistance has become an increasingly important component of naval operations in contested waters, with nations using such activities to demonstrate sovereignty and build international goodwill. However, the political messaging behind such operations often complicates what would otherwise be straightforward rescue missions.

As tensions continue to simmer in the South China Sea, incidents like this highlight how even seemingly benevolent actions can become entangled in the complex web of regional maritime disputes and territorial claims.