Who is truly escalating the tension in the West Philippine Sea?

First, China occupied Panganiban Reef in 1995, claiming it would serve only as a fishermen's shelter, even though it is situated within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone. Nearly two decades later, they transformed this shelter into a heavily fortified military base, complete with defense capabilities, a naval base, and an airfield.

Secondly, they reclaimed Zamora Reef, which was initially a submerged feature, and developed it into a significant artificial island equipped with a 3,000-meter runway and military infrastructure. This island is positioned near the edge of the Philippines' EEZ, and its proximity to Pag-asa Island, which is occupied by the Philippines, places it within the 12 nautical miles territorial sea generated by Pag-asa Island's maritime entitlements.

We must also consider their ongoing deployment of maritime forces in the area, their aggressive harassment of ordinary fishermen, and their bullying tactics against smaller Philippine Coast Guard vessels.