Philippines Alarms Over Arrests in China
MANILA (Reuters) – The Philippines expressed concern over the arrest of three Filipinos in China, accused of espionage, asserting they are ordinary citizens and potential victims of retaliation for recent arrests of Chinese nationals in the Philippines for similar offenses. Chinese authorities claim the Filipinos were involved with the Philippine intelligence agency, while the National Security Council insists they were merely students under a scholarship program. This incident highlights ongoing tensions between the two countries over territorial disputes in the South China Sea.