Two days ago I released a statement on SeaLight's Facebook page as follows:

Public Statement from Ray Powell, Executive Director, SeaLight, on the PRC's Coordinated Campaign to Discredit Transparency in the West Philippine Sea

As an American who has had the privilege of working alongside Filipino friends in advancing maritime transparency, I feel compelled to address a coordinated information warfare campaign that the People's Republic of China has waged—not just against me or SeaLight, but against all efforts to bring transparency to its gray zone aggressions in the West Philippine Sea.

Let me establish the context: SeaLight began as "Project Myoushu" in 2022, an all-volunteer initiative at Stanford University's Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. Our mission was and is to support transparency advocates worldwide, and we are honored to work with Filipino partners who have worked courageously to document what happens in their own waters. This partnership has revealed critical evidence of incidents of deception, coercion and even brutality that might otherwise have remained hidden from public view.

Let me be clear: what we've been witnessing is not a mere academic disagreement. It has been a coordinated, state-sponsored attempt to erase evidence, discredit transparency and undermine the resolve of all who believe in the rules and norms that have upheld generations of peace, security and sovereign rights between civilized nations.

Since 2023, Chinese state media and pro-Beijing outlets have worked together to advance a synchronized message: that exposing clear maritime aggression is somehow provocative; that documenting dangerous maneuvers at sea constitutes "cognitive warfare"; that those standing up for their maritime rights must be beholden to foreign interests.

The evidence of coordination is extensive and undeniable. For example, on July 30th 2024, Herman Tiu Laurel, president of the pro-Beijing Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, published an propaganda piece on China's own state-run Global Times web site, in which he framed Philippine transparency operations as American-orchestrated provocations. Just four days later, on August 3, 2024, the Manila Standard published an article by Rod Kapunan that was not merely similar—it was nearly word-for-word identical. Paragraphs, phrases, and entire arguments were reproduced with only cosmetic changes. Both used shockingly identical language to attack transparency efforts, advance the same pro-China narrative, and target the same organizations and individuals—including me.

The accusations have been as coordinated as they are baseless. Chinese state media has claimed SeaLight directs an imaginary $500 million U.S. government information warfare campaign—which is particularly ironic since we remain almost entirely unfunded. China Daily has repeatedly posted videos baselessly claiming that civilian advocacy groups like Atin Ito are secretly funded by the Philippines and the US governments through our unfunded, volunteer-staffed organization. The Chinese Embassy in Manila has directly amplified these false narratives.

The personal attacks reveal the campaign's desperation. I have been labeled a psywar operative, a Pentagon asset, an American war-monger, and an agent-provocateur. One particularly colorful accusation claimed I am seeking to ignite a military conflict between the Philippines and China and am part of "US drumbeating operations to generate a clamor for war". They've even mocked my "pea brain" in editorials. I take no offense—in fact, I consider it a badge of honor--since what they clearly fear is not me, but the footage, data and facts that transparency advocates help reveal to the world.

The campaign's most strategic feature is its local presentation. Pro-Beijing commentators repeat Beijing's narrative almost verbatim. Across radio, blogs, videos and op-eds, certain voices discredit efforts to document hostile maritime actions while remaining conspicuously silent about the actual intrusions themselves.

Stratbase ADR Institute, where I serve as a non-resident fellow, has also faced relentless attacks for supporting the Philippines' assertive transparency campaigns. These efforts have been systematically reframed by Chinese propaganda as foreign plots.

The pattern extends beyond individual articles. CRI Filipino Service, tagged by Facebook as "China state-controlled media," has posted about Project Myoushu and SeaLight multiple times, while individual bloggers and pages with apparent links to pro-China networks amplify identical talking points. This represents a textbook case of coordinated information warfare designed to delegitimize evidence-based defense of the Philippines’ sovereign maritime rights.

It's worth examining why some voices choose to amplify narratives that align with those who challenge Philippine maritime sovereignty. Why such strong reactions to transparency, while remaining silent about water cannon attacks, dangerous blocking maneuvers and even ramming incidents against Filipino vessels?

This goes beyond disinformation. It's a deliberate campaign to twist facts, shift public focus, and undermine those bringing truth to light. The goal appears clear: delegitimize transparency by portraying documentation as provocation and accountability as betrayal.

The Filipino people deserve transparency about what happens in their waters. They deserve to see evidence when foreign vessels ram ships, deploy military-grade lasers against Filipino crews, or deny access to traditional fishing grounds. Documenting these incidents isn't provocation—it's accountability that empowers informed public discourse.

SeaLight is honored to support Filipino transparency advocates who courageously shine light on these incidents. When truth becomes a threat to power, disinformation becomes the weapon of choice—but coordinated narratives cannot drown out documented facts, and personal attacks cannot erase video evidence.

There is indeed an information campaign. It’s just not the one Beijing’s messages claim it is, but one that seeks to suppress transparency and pave the way for its maritime occupation of Philippine waters. The best response is to continue revealing the truth—louder, clearer, and in partnership with those who refuse to let it be hidden.

Ray Powell

Executive Director, SeaLight

Beijing has clearly chosen SeaLight as a focal point in its failed effort to discredit the Philippines' transparency campaign. Regardless, We remain committed to our mission to "light up the maritime gray zone".

Note: Just 4 days after we first posted this article, we noted that the Manila Standard pulled Rod Kapunan's article off its web site. Fortunately the Internet remembers, and we were able to redirect our hyperlink to a cached version.