The Philippines’ previous government, which pursued closer ties with China, played down tensions at sea. The Philippines has long objected to China’s sweeping claims over the strategic waterway, through which $3 trillion of trade passes each year. The South China Sea territorial dispute is not new. However, even Philippine officials admit they do not know if bad PR alone can deter China, which seems increasingly determined to project power in its neighborhood. The Philippines has also received more international support. Chinese harassment is now a hot topic for TV talk shows and local politicians. The initiative has attracted a wave of media attention at home. Philippine officials call the effort a "transparency campaign" – an attempt to shame China by releasing pictures and videos of its harassment in near real-time, and by bringing boatloads of journalists to witness the incidents firsthand. Tarriela is part of a government task force trying to counteract China’s military advantage by weaponizing information. "In terms of optics, are at a disadvantage," Tarriela told VOA in an interview.
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