Claim: The US is preparing the Philippines for war against China with the release of its “Project 33” plan.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video bearing the claim was posted on December 3 by a channel with 136,000 subscribers. As of writing, it has 295,091 views, 904 comments, and 4,000 likes.

The video used clips of US Chief of Naval Operations Lisa Franchetti announcing the “Navigation Plan 2024 for America’s Warfighting Navy,” also called the Project 33 plan.

The bottom line: The misleading YouTube video falsely implied that Franchetti’s September 2024 announcement of Project 33 was a sign of the US preparing the Philippines for a possible war with China.

In her statement, Franchetti said the Project 33 plan is intended to “ensure that we are more ready for potential conflict with the People’s Republic of China by 2027 while also working hard to enhance our long-term warfighting advantage.”

There is no mention of the US including the Philippines in its preparations against China in Franchetti’s statement or the Navigation Plan.

Strategic plan: Project 33 sets out seven key targets as part of Navigation Plan 2024, which aims to enhance the US Navy’s level of readiness by 2027, the year that China reportedly aims to have the military capability to invade Taiwan.

The seven key targets focus on readying the US Navy’s platforms, operationalizing robotic and autonomous systems, creating command centers for success on a distributed battlefield, recruiting and retaining talent, investing in warfighter competency, and restoring critical infrastructure.

Tensions between China and the Philippines: The video was posted days after Chinese vessels fired water cannons and rammed ships of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

The incident was the latest in several acts of Chinese hostility in the South China Sea as the Philippines continues to assert its territorial claims, citing a 2016 arbitral ruling that China refuses to acknowledge. Several countries, including the US, have expressed support for Manila amid Beijing’s growing aggression in the region. (READ: [ANALYSIS] China’s increased coercive activities in the WPS: Recalibrating the PH’s security response)

Rappler has already published several fact-checks about the Philippines and China:

– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com

Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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