This is CBS, I In The World. I'm John Bachel with Gordon Chang, my colleague and friend

and co-host. We go immediately to the alarming headlines from East Asia.

Bloomberg, Philippine protested China blockade in quotes in South China Sea. Reuters, Philippines

tells China was not abandoned post and disputed reef.

Yahoo News, China tells Philippines to remove grounded worship in South China Sea.

Gordon, I come to you immediately to say these are not normal headlines. Can we agree that

something has changed in the Chinese aggression and the Philippines standing up to it? Good

day to you, Gordon.

Good day, John. There have been over the last five or so years repeated standoffs at

Second Thomas Scholl, which is where this Sierra Madre, an abandoned World War II era rusted

ship, has been grounded by the Philippines to mark its territorial claim to Second Thomas,

which is part of the Philippines, in fact. What is new, John, is that the Chinese for the

first time have demanded that the Philippines remove the Sierra Madre. It's much more aggressive

tone from the Chinese, and this follows a couple days ago where a Chinese quote unquote

coast guard vessel actually used water cannon against a Philippine ship. It's also some

very dangerous seamen ship on the part of the Chinese. To top this off on Saturday, the

State Department issued a warning, which had done at least twice before in the Biden

administration, that the United States will use force to defend the Philippines because

of our mutual defense treaty.

We welcome James Finnell, Jim Finnell, government fellow to Geneva Center for Security Policy.

Most importantly, retired U.S. Navy captain served as director of intelligence and information

operations of the U.S. Pacific Fleet to Seventh Fleet. Jim, a very good day to you.

...