Introduction: The One-Sided Water Wars of the West Philippine Sea The West Philippine Sea has become a battleground of asymmetry, where China’s hulking coast guard ships—some displacing 10,000 tons—routinely bully, ram, and blast smaller Philippine vessels with high-pressure water cannons. The latest escalation, on October 12, 2025, near Thitu Island (Pag-asa), saw the China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel Bow No. 21559 firing water cannons at the Philippine fisheries ship … Continue reading Why the Philippines Doesn’t Fire Back: The Strategic Genius Behind Manila’s Restraint in the South China Sea