China sprays Philippine ship with water cannon, says Manila is "playing the victim" in the East Sea

Regarding the recent tension between the Philippines and China in the East Sea, there is a phrase that China uses to criticize Manila, which is to accuse the Philippines of "playing the victim" in the East Sea.

On March 29, the Global Times (China) published an article "Manila escalates tensions in the East Sea by continuing its 'playing the victim' tactic".

"Chinese analysts warned the Philippines not to abuse China's restraint or underestimate China's determination and ability to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, after Philippine President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. vowed to take countermeasures against the Chinese coast guard, continuing his victim-playing tactics and escalating tensions in the South China Sea," the newspaper wrote.

On social network X on March 26, Ms. Hua Chunying - currently the Assistant Foreign Minister of China - said that the Philippines always arranged for reporters to follow them on supply missions in the Second Thomas Shoal area to "fabricate the videos they recorded to create sensational news and portray the Philippines as the victim".

However, foreign journalists present in Manila "strongly rejected and condemned Ms. Hoa's false and baseless statements," according to Reuters news agency.

On March 27, the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) expressed "strong dissatisfaction with the insinuation that the press is a 'troublemaker' and colluding with the (Philippine) government to promote its political agenda."

According to The Philippine Star newspaper, social media users in the Philippines also reacted to Ms. Hoa's statement.

"In fact, you (China) are the troublemakers, not us (the Philippines)," one user wrote.

"Philippine media organizations should condemn China's lies and propaganda," another X user also spoke up.