讀後心得

The Philippine government recently stated that China arrested three Filipino citizens suspected of espionage activities and released their "confession" videos. The Philippine side questioned the authenticity of these videos and accused the individuals of being ordinary citizens who went to China to study under a bilateral agreement. A spokesperson for the Philippine National Security Council pointed out that these arrests could be retaliation for the recent arrest of several Chinese spies by the Philippines. China's claims of territorial sovereignty in the South China Sea have also sparked controversy.

The Philippine government said on Saturday that China has detained three Filipino nationals suspected of espionage activities and released what appeared to be scripted "confessions" from them. The Philippines has called on Beijing to respect their rights.

Chinese state media reported that China's national security agency has cracked a case of Filipino espionage, legally detaining three Filipino nationals engaged in espionage activities in China. The Philippine National Security Council expressed skepticism, believing that the three were recipients of a government scholarship program under an agreement between Hainan Province and Palawan Province.

A spokesperson for the council stated, "They are ordinary citizens who have not received military training and were only invited to study in China." He added, "These individuals are law-abiding citizens with no criminal records and passed screenings and evaluations by the Chinese government before arriving in China."

The spokesperson mentioned that a video clip released by Chinese media shows the so-called "confessions" of the detained Filipinos, which he believes "raises more questions than answers." One Filipino man, while expressing remorse, also seemed to make positive remarks about China.

He believes that "these arrests can be seen as retaliation against the Philippine law enforcement for their recent lawful detentions of Chinese agents and their accomplices." Over the past three months, Philippine authorities have arrested at least 12 Chinese citizens suspected of espionage, accusing them of illegally obtaining sensitive information regarding military camps and critical infrastructure, which could pose threats to national security and defense in Manila.

China asserts extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, including sovereignty over territorial waters and exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. In 2016, an international arbitration court ruled that China's claims had no basis under international law, but the Chinese government does not recognize that ruling.