A Chinese rocket launch that triggered loud explosions and panic in the western Philippine province of Palawan has drawn sharp condemnation from Manila, with observers suggesting Beijing may have been sending a geopolitical signal amid growing US missile deployments in the region.
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The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) confirmed on Monday that China had launched its Long March 12 rocket from the Wenchang Space Launch Site in Hainan that afternoon, after residents in Palawan’s capital, Puerto Princesa, and nearby areas reported hearing loud explosions.
PhilSA said debris from the launch was expected to fall about 21 nautical miles off Puerto Princesa and 18 nautical miles from the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park – areas previously designated as drop zones.
In response, authorities across Palawan monitored the province’s eastern waters for debris after sonic booms were heard across the island.
Locals posted photos of smoke and a fiery object falling from the sky on social media.
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