ISLAMABAD – A photo has been shared hundreds of times in multiple posts onFacebook and Twitter which claim it shows a hidden Chinese military base inZambales, a province northwest of Manila. The claim is false; the photoshows the Gotthard Base Tunnel in the Swiss Alps; the story about a hiddenChinese military base in Zambales originated from a satirical article in2016.
The photo was published here on Facebook linkAugust 29, 2019.
Below is a screenshot of the misleading post:
The post’s caption states: “a wake-up call to fil…”
The text above the image states: “Breaking Story: Hidden Chinese MilitaryBase with Alleged Missile Silos Found in Zambales”
by: iNTEl gURU
“While many Filipinos know of China’s construction of military bases in sixdifferent reef areas inside the Philippines’ exclusive 200 mile economiczone in the West Philippines Sea, they are unaware that China hasclandestinely build a “Deep Underground Military Base” in Zambales, theprovince nearest to Scarborough Shoal in the Philippines”.
Zambales link is a province locatednorthwest of Manila.
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It is located link 124 nauticalmiles away from Scarborough shoal.
China link has military facilitiesin parts of the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines, including theScarborough shoal.
“West Philippine Sea link”is the name which the Philippines gives to parts of South China Sea whichit claims as its territory.
The same photo was shared here link and herelink on Facebook and herelink on Twitter with a similar claim.
The claim is false; the photo actually shows the Gotthard Base Tunnel inthe Swiss Alps.
A reverse image search on Google found the photo published in this 2010articlelinkbyUS magazine Popular Mechanics. -APP/AFP
