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Latest Posts

MAY 30, 2026
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Fishermen Until Mobilized: China's East China Sea Maritime Militia
“I am a militiaman. If I’m given the order, I’ll set sail.”
MAY 6, 2026
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The Lighthouse Challenge: $25,000 Matching Grant — Double the Light, Double the Impact
A founding-level donor has pledged $25,000 to match every gift to SeaLight, dollar for dollar! Here is what your support has already accomplished — and why we need you now.
MAY 4, 2026
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Beijing's Toxic Sanctimony
China is like a burglar appointing himself neighborhood watch captain, while self-righteously explaining that locking your doors against him violates homeowners association rules.
FEB 16, 2026
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China’s Paramilitary Wall Rises Against Vietnam Around the Paracel Islands
Recent tracking data reveals a new Chinese cordon aimed at shielding recent Antelope Reef dredging and pushing Vietnam back from the long-disputed Paracel Island group as Beijing consolidates control.
FEB 6, 2026
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Embassy Echo Chamber II: Editor Gets Award for Serving Beijing's Interests
SeaLight digs into yet another Chinese-language media outlet in Manila, whose Mao-admiring editor recently received a "Friends of the Chinese Embassy" award, and whose president has deep roots in CCP United Front work and has proclaimed the paper's devotion to its "sacred mission" of promoting Beijing's messages in the Philippines.
JAN 22, 2026
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Embassy Echo Chamber: How Beijing Directs Its Propaganda Network in the Philippines
China’s new ambassador to the Philippines summoned eight local Mandarin-language news executives to the embassy for a televised meeting urging them to "cooperate closely" and promote Beijing's agenda—exposing deep CCP propaganda ties in Manila's local Chinese-language press. Key outlets like Chinatown News TV and United Daily News--the latter run by a prominent CCP United Front operative--routinely amplify Chinese state media positions on Taiwan and the South China Sea while flying under the radar of most Filipinos.
JAN 19, 2026
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From Dark Fleet to Decision Point: How Venezuela’s Maritime Gray Zone Was Exposed
Off the coast of Venezuela, a network of oil tankers, smaller cargo ships and government-linked vessels quietly moved sanctioned oil, keeping revenue flowing under the radar of international scrutiny. Meanwhile, observers using publicly available data began to see a story unfolding: patterns of movement, strange behaviors and small “tells” that hinted at the stress and adaptation of the network.
JAN 5, 2026
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The Hydra of Manila Bay
One dredger, six flags, thirty identities. What game is the dredger Kang Ling 539 playing, and why hasn't anyone in Manila put a stop to it?
DEC 13, 2025
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Manila's Chinatown TV Deletes Evidence of its CCP Propaganda
Manila-based Chinatown TV News tries to erase its glaringly propagandistic coverage of a United Front Work Department operation in the Philippines, and in the process draws attention to its own complicity in spreading CCP propaganda.
NOV 30, 2025
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Chinese Communist Party Event in Manila is Just the Tip of the Iceberg
Hundreds of Philippine civic and business leaders recently filled a Manila ballroom to take marching orders from Chinese Communist Party officials—a stark reminder that Beijing's campaign to control Philippine policy isn't just happening in the West Philippine Sea, but inside Philippine society itself.

News & Articles

JAN 21, 2026
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Philippines eyes ‘game changer’ for maritime defence with French shipbuilding boost
The project is expected to significantly expand the coastguard’s fleet at a time of growing operational demands in Philippine waters.
DEC 9, 2025
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Japan says China didn't answer hotline during radar incident
Failure of communication amid heightened tensions raises fears of accidental clash
DEC 8, 2025
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US Ally Conducts Flyby of China Military Base in South China Sea
The Philippines has released footage showing a patrol aircraft flying past a militarized Chinese artificial island on Saturday while conducting surveillance in the contested Spratly Islands, and claims the Chinese side fired flares toward the plane.
DEC 6, 2025
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Chinese, U.S. Navies Spotted Operating Near Scarborough Shoal
A U.S. Navy destroyer was spotted operating near Chinese forces at Scarborough Shoal this week by a Philippine Coast Guard aerial patrol.
DEC 5, 2025
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China’s Artificial Island Military Base Upgrades Revealed
China continues to strengthen its control over the hotly contested South China Sea, as recent analysis of satellite imagery appears to show that its artificial island outposts in the region have bolstered their intelligence, electronic warfare and defensive capabilities.
DEC 1, 2025
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47th Chinese Naval Escort Taskforce Makes Technical Stop in Singapore
On December 1, the 47th Chinese naval escort taskforce arrived in Singapore for a four-day technical stop.
NOV 27, 2025
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World Politics27 Nov 2025 New Zealand's biggest navy ship made transit through sensitive Taiwan Strait this month
New Zealand's biggest navy ship HMNZS Aotearoa has made a trip through the sensitive Taiwan Strait.
NOV 26, 2025
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China Sends Research Ships Near US Security Partner
China has deployed three research ships to the Indian Ocean, a region considered part of India's sphere of influence, as Beijing continues to expand its maritime presence.
NOV 25, 2025
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The Consequences of Shelving the South China Sea Disputes
For years, China has promoted the idea of “shelving disputes” in the South China Sea and focusing on areas of cooperation. Southeast Asian claimants—Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam—have been receptive to this approach to varying degrees. While this strategy brings significant economic benefits, it carries substantial long-term risks for their territorial claims and regional security interests.
NOV 24, 2025
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Chinese vessel off Zambales withdraws after PCG issues radio challenge
A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship spotted off Zambales has left the area after being shadowed and issued a radio challenge by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
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