Chinese Nationals Impersonating Taiwanese Tourists Arrested in the Philippines for Filming Military Activities

On March 5, 2024, a collision occurred in international waters between a Philippine supply ship and a China Coast Guard vessel. The windshield of the Philippine ship was shattered by a high-pressure water cannon fired by the China Coast Guard, resulting in minor injuries to four Filipinos. (Photo by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images)

[People News] According to a report by the Philippine TV station GMA, several Chinese nationals suspected of being spies were arrested in Palawan province, near the South China Sea, for monitoring the movements of Philippine Coast Guard vessels while posing as Taiwanese tourists.

The GMA report stated that these Chinese individuals claimed to be tourists from Taiwan and were found hiding in a secluded area of a seaside resort in Palawan. They used mobile phones to record the movements of Philippine Coast Guard vessels entering and leaving a military base. Local residents noticed their activities and captured one of them in action. Residents also reported that the suspects operated drones without proper authorization and even installed surveillance cameras on coconut trees at the resort, facing the sea—precisely where the Philippine Coast Guard and Navy vessels enter and exit.

Although the suspects denied the espionage allegations, Philippine Armed Forces Chief of Staff Romeo Brawner stated, "We have gathered a lot of evidence. On their mobile phones, we found images of military camps, ships, and military equipment. However, we have only caught some of them—there are more out there."

A report from Central News Agency (CNA) in Manila revealed that approximately two weeks ago, agents from the Philippine National Bureau of Investigation arrested a Chinese national surnamed Deng in Makati City, Metro Manila. Deng, who had lived in the Philippines for years, was accused of working with local accomplices to drive a vehicle equipped with detection instruments to gather data on the terrain and structures surrounding military bases.

On the 27th, Deng’s wife held a press conference denying that her husband was a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) spy. However, GMA cited sources indicating that the Chinese individuals arrested in Palawan were linked to Deng.

(Translated from Radio Free Asia)