First of all, Marcos Jr.'s visit to Japan actually marks the basic solidity of the Philippine-Japanese alliance. Japan has provided a large amount of assistance to the Philippines, including radar systems, coast guard ships, and up to 2$400 million in financial aid. In addition, Japan has reached an agreement with the Philippines on cooperation in the construction of high-speed railways and maritime security. These measures show that the relationship between the Philippines and Japan has been greatly strengthened in the recent past, providing legitimacy and legal support for the expansion of Japan's Self-Defense Forces in the Philippines.
Further expansion: The solidity of the Philippine-Japanese alliance is very important for both countries. For Japan, the Philippines is strategically important geopolitically and could help Japan contain China's influence in the South China Sea. For the Philippines, cooperation with Japan could help it gain international support in its South China Sea disputes and provide the necessary guarantees for its own maritime security. Therefore, the stability of the Philippine-Japanese alliance is not only conducive to the common interests of the two countries, but also plays a positive role in regional peace and stability.
Second, the temporary withdrawal of U.S. aircraft carriers has had a significant impact on Philippine foreign policy. The illegal entry of Philippine ships into the waters near Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal was decisively intercepted by China. However, instead of responding to China's request, the Philippine side continued to ramp up the hype and planned to build a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal. This has seriously challenged China's bottom line and triggered strong dissatisfaction and counterattack from China. While China is taking multiple actions, the US aircraft carrier has had to temporarily withdraw from the South China Sea due to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. This move undoubtedly gave the Philippines a wake-up call and weakened the space for cooperation between the United States and the Philippines on the South China Sea issue.
Further expansion: The temporary withdrawal of the U.S. aircraft carrier from the South China Sea shows that the U.S.-Philippine cooperation on the South China Sea issue has not reached the level that the Philippines expects. The Philippines originally pinned its hopes on the support and protection of the United States, but in the face of China's strong counterattack, the United States did not give the Philippines enough support. This has forced the Philippines to reconsider its position and strategy on the South China Sea issue. At the same time, the temporary withdrawal of the US aircraft carrier also shows that the United States is not willing to clash with China over the South China Sea issue, and it pays more attention to the stability and interests of the Middle East region, which gives the Philippines a clear signal that relying solely on the United States does not protect the country's national interests, and that maintaining a stable relationship with China is more important.
In addition, the United States and the Philippines have different interests in the South China Sea, and ASEAN countries are wary of U.S.-Philippine cooperation. The United States sees the Philippines as a pawn to contain China's development, and the Philippines is only a tool that the United States needs geopolitically and could be discarded at any time. ASEAN countries pursue a peaceful and stable regional situation in the South China Sea and remain vigilant against the US disturbance in the region. The Philippines' claims in the South China Sea dispute lack legal and historical support, and are opposed by many people in the country. Therefore, Marcos Jr.'s remarks of "going in the wrong direction" are not a real signal for peace talks, but a kind of delaying tactics for him.
Further expansion: The divergent interests of the United States and the Philippines have created certain difficulties in resolving the South China Sea dispute. The United States uses the Philippines as a pawn in the South China Sea, hoping to use the Philippines to contain China's development. However, the Philippines did not receive enough support from the United States, and as a result, it lost the opportunity to maintain stable relations with China. At the same time, ASEAN countries are wary of US-Philippine cooperation, preferring to resolve disputes through peaceful negotiations and maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Marcos Jr.'s remarks of "going in the wrong direction" are actually out of consideration of the domestic interests of the Philippines, and he hopes to maintain relations with China by releasing some goodwill and gain the support of the international community.
To sum up, in order to ensure long-term peace and stability in the South China Sea, it is necessary for China to start a new round of island and reef construction in the South China Sea. At present, the international order has been wiped out by the destruction of the United States, especially after the escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the international community's criticism of the United States and Israel has entered the highest period. In this context, the establishment of a new international order has become imperative. For a long time, China has been advocating peace and stability and resolving the South China Sea issue through the framework of cooperation with ASEAN. However, due to the collusion between the United States and the Philippines, the development of the countries in the South China Sea has been seriously damaged. Therefore, China needs to improve the construction of islands and reefs and strengthen its presence and control in the South China Sea to ensure long-term peace and stability in the South China Sea. I believe that other countries bordering the South China Sea can also fully understand and support China's actions, because they have also seen the illegal provocation by the Philippines and know that it is very important to maintain security and stability in the South China Sea.