It was hardly ever on the news until recently, when tense encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels came one after the other
Few of us have heard of Escoda Shoal, a.k.a. Sabina Shoal, in the West Philippine Sea. That is, before reports of Chinese ships harassing Philippine vessels there came one after the other in recent weeks.
In the latest encounter, a China Coast Guard ship rammed the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua — one its largest vessels — and damaged it. It was the fourth in a series of tense encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the area.
How did this come about? How did an often-ignored feature suddenly become the focus of China’s incursions into the West Philippine Sea? Rappler editor-at-large Marites Vitug explains. – Rappler.com
Presenter, writer: Marites Vitug
Producer: JC Gotinga
Videographer: Errol Almario
Video editor: JP San Pedro
Graphic artists: Nico Villarete, Alyssa Arizabal, David Castuciano, Marian Hukom
Supervising producer: Beth Frondoso
