Philippine official says China trying to influence its elections
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Philippine scientists inspecting Sandy Cay reef, near the Philippine-held Thitu Island, in Spratly Islands, in disputed waters of the South China Sea.
PHOTO: AFP
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MANILA – A Philippine national security official said China is “attempting to influence” its midterm elections after it declared sovereignty over an uninhabited reef in the South China Sea just ahead of polls in May.
“To me, it also validates the findings of the security and intelligence sector, it also validates our position that they are attempting to influence our elections because the timing is suspect insofar as I am concerned,” National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said in a briefing on April 28.
Mr Malaya said there is “no truth whatsoever to the claim of the Chinese coast guard that the Pag-asa cays have been seized”.
China state-broadcaster CCTV reported on April 26 that the country’s coast guard “implemented maritime control and exercised sovereign jurisdiction” over Sandy Cay in mid-April in an escalation of tensions in the disputed waterway. Bloomberg
