Today, Jamil, Les, Bishop, and Andy discuss the recent confrontation between two Chinese Coast Guard ships and a Philippine Navy vessel near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands that resulted in injuries to several Philippine sailors after the use of high-pressure water cannons. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vowed to counter what he called “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and dangerous attacks” by China’s coast guard and said that the Philippines would not be “cowed into silence” about Chinese aggression.

Will the tensions in the West Philippine Sea continue to escalate? Would any conflict between China and the Philippines drag the United States into direct conflict? Is China trying to test U.S. commitments in the region?

Check out the answers to these questions and more in this episode of Fault Lines.

Check out the sources that helped shape our expert's discussion!

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/28/philippiness-marcos-promises-measures-after-chinas-dangerous-attacks

https://www.foxnews.com/world/china-warned-as-philippine-president-proposes-countermeasures-against-beijings-aggression

https://time.com/6960916/us-military-intervention-south-china-sea-philippines-china/

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2024/mar/27/inside-ring-water-cannon-attack-raises-odds-of-us-/

https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/03/28/philippines-countermeasures-coast-guard-attacks-south-china-sea-marcos/ 

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@jamil_n_jaffer

@lestermunson

@BishopGarrison

@AndyKeiser

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