Recently, the unilateral move of the Philippines has led to a major escalation in the South China Sea. The Philippines once again sent ships to resupply China's "beaching" on Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea, but this time the Philippines was met with a head-on attack by China and forced to evacuate. It is understood that in a recent clashes, Philippine ships saw that the Chinese coast guard intercepted them, and then sailed directly towards the Chinese ships, causing the two sides of the ships to scrape. Zhang Xiaogang, a spokesman for China's Ministry of National Defense, said that we urge the Philippines and other relevant countries to immediately stop their abusive provocations to avoid further deterioration of the situation. China will continue to take necessary measures to resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
For supply ships in the Philippines, there are two scenarios. One is to carry building materials and try to reinforce the "beach"** For this situation, China resolutely intercepts it, and even uses water cannons to expel it. The other is to carry necessities such as fresh water and food. For such vessels, China generally makes temporary special arrangements based on humanitarian considerations, because there may be some Filipino military personnel on the "beach"**. If an unexpected situation occurs if these servicemen stay on the beach**, it will cause even more trouble. This approach has the advantage of preventing the situation from escalating while maintaining the necessary flexibility. If a fierce conflict breaks out over Ren'ai Jiao, the U.S. military can attack China under the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty, and the situation will be very dangerous. Therefore, our external stability and peace remain our top priority.
In response to the unprovoked provocation by the Philippines, China decided to take countermeasures. After thwarting the Philippine plot to supply building materials, the Chinese ships did not return to Mischief Island as previously planned, but continued to assemble near Second Thomas Shoal. According to the Ship Tracking System (AIS), a total of 27 Chinese vessels were stationed near Second Thomas Shoal. Among the 27 vessels is a China Coast Guard vessel. Of these, 16 vessels stayed on the periphery of the reef and 11 vessels entered the area where the reef was located, posing a de facto threat to the Philippine "beached" Sierra Madre.
The Philippines was alarmed, noting that China has been conservative in the face of the Philippines' "fierce counterattacks" in the battle for the islands, trying to keep the conflict within a certain range. Chinese vessels generally do not enter the inner area of Second Thomas Shoal and only operate outside. But this time it was different, not only Chinese ships came, but 11 more, which was unprecedented. It is speculated that this may be because the chief of staff of the Philippine armed forces and others infiltrated the Philippine supply ship for daily necessities and boarded the "beach" on Ren'ai Jiao** It is precisely because of this deception that the Philippines has made a big deal and completely angered China. The role of these Chinese vessels entering the inner area of the reef was considerable, possibly to survey the hydrographic conditions of the reef, including determining its location and understanding the depth of the channel, which also prepared the way for the future forceful towing of the Sierra Madre.
In summary, the escalation of the Second Thomas Shoal incident and China's countermeasures against the Philippines underscore the seriousness of the dispute in the South China Sea. In the face of the Philippines' provocations, China has not only demonstrated to the Philippines its determination to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, but also demonstrated China's high degree of humanitarianism by treating supply ships for building materials and ships of daily necessities separately and reasonably. In addition, China has demonstrated its deterrent power against the Philippines by further deploying ships. This series of countermeasures reflects China's firm stance of safeguarding its own interests and stabilizing the external environment, as well as China's responsibility as a major country.
However, unilateral countermeasures are not enough to resolve disputes in the South China Sea. All parties should actively seek ways to resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation, and abide by international law and internationally recognized principles in order to maintain regional peace and stability. There is also a need to learn from the experiences of other regions to provide more solutions to maritime disputes through cooperative projects and economic development. Only in this way can long-term peace and prosperity be truly achieved.
Personally, as a peace-loving country, China has been firm and restrained in the face of provocations, defending its own interests and taking humanitarian considerations into account. While maintaining regional peace and stability, China has also demonstrated its responsibility and responsibility as a major country. However, the resolution of disputes in the South China Sea requires the joint efforts and wisdom of all parties, not only in accordance with international law and internationally recognized principles, but also in deepening cooperation to jointly promote regional development and prosperity. Only in this way can long-term peace and stability be achieved and a positive contribution to the prosperity of the region and the world.