Is this island chain the next South China Sea flashpoint?

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A group of Chinese scholars has claimed that the Batanes islands were historically part of Taiwan and therefore are part of China. The remarks emerged during an academic discussion on June 30, 2026, at Jinan University in Guangzhou. Although the claim was not made by Beijing, it has sparked controversy and outrage in the Philippines, where the Batanes islands form the nation’s northernmost province.

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