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Insights from Su Mon and Tomas Buenaventura.
A photo released by the Armed Forces of the Philippines that claims to show a China Coast Guard vessel firing a water cannon in the vicinity of Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea, Aug. 20, 2025.
The Diplomat author Mercy Kuo regularly engages subject-matter experts, policy practitioners, and strategic thinkers across the globe for their diverse insights into U.S. Asia policy. This conversation with Su Mon and Tomas Buenaventura – Asia Pacific senior analyst and senior research assistant, respectively, at ACLED (Armed Conflict Location and Event Data) – is the 523rd in “The Trans-Pacific View Insight Series.”
Examine the South China Sea conflict escalation environment based on ACLED data.
