Since Philippine vessels repeatedly trespassed into the waters near China's Ren'ai Jiao in an attempt to resupply and reinforce China's 24-year-old tank landing ship "Sierra Madre", which has been illegally beached for 24 years, the Chinese coast guard has taken resolute actions to safeguard China's sovereignty in the South China Sea. However, the Philippine authorities are not giving up and plan to build a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal. There are reports that the Philippine Congress has approved a special fund for the construction of permanent structures at Second Thomas Shoal for Filipino soldiers to continue stationing. The Philippines** will increase budgets for the Department of Natural Resources, the Coast Guard, the National Intelligence Coordination Agency, and the Navy to strengthen the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Philippine Senator Chiz Escudero has proposed a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal, which has been supported by several Filipino lawmakers. However, the Philippine plan could trigger an escalation in the dispute between China and the Philippines over Ren'ai Jiao.
The Philippine Congress passed a budget to build a permanent structure on Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. According to Sonny Angara, chairman of the Philippine Congress's Finance Committee, which oversees budget funds, the funds will be used to build a permanent structure for the continued presence of soldiers from the USS Sierra Madre. The decision of the Philippines** aims to strengthen the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to respond to various contingencies. Philippine Senator Chiz Escudero has even proposed the construction of a marina and lodging facility at Second Thomas Shoal to provide shelter for soldiers and fishermen. The Philippines** wants to assert its sovereignty by constructing a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal.
However, the Philippines' plan may face difficulties. The Chinese coast guard has repeatedly stopped trespasses by the Philippines and tightened controls on supplies. Although the Philippines secretly brought in some building materials and set up improvised tents on the deck, the condition of the landing ship Sierra Madre is rapidly deteriorating. The hull of the ship is decaying, and the interior of the cabin is no longer inhabitable for humans. Therefore, the reinforcement of the "Sierra Madre" is no longer practical. The Philippines' permanent construction program may be designed to address this issue.
However, the Philippine plan could trigger an escalation in the dispute between China and the Philippines. If the Philippines crosses China's bottom line and builds a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal, China will see it as an invasion and take action to expel the Philippines. The Philippines deliberately ran aground the landing ship "Sierra Madre" on Ren'ai Jiao in the hope that China would not have time to take care of its encroachment on islands and reefs in the South China Sea. For the sake of peace and stability in the South China Sea, China has not taken coercive measures, but has repeatedly urged the Philippines to pull away. However, the Philippine plan could completely change the situation, forcing China to take tougher action.
If the Philippines succeeds in constructing a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal, China will face serious challenges. Philippine soldiers will be stationed at Ren'ai Jiao for a long time, making China's handling of the Ren'ai Jiao issue more passive. At present, the dispute between China and the Philippines over Ren'ai Jiao is limited to the landing ship "Sierra Madre", and China has strictly controlled the supply of Philippine supplies, but still allows daily necessities to pass through. However, with the construction of permanent structures in the Philippines, the situation will be completely different. China is likely to see the Philippines' actions as an invasion, take tough action to drive out the Filipinos, and resolve the Second Thomas Shoal issue. While China is now capable of resolving the Second Thomas Shoal issue, the Philippines' provocative actions will only make China lose patience with the shipwreck.
The Philippine Congress's approval of plans to build permanent structures at Second Thomas Shoal could trigger an escalation of the dispute between China and the Philippines. The Philippines' plan could be seen as an act of invasion, forcing China to take tougher action. If the Philippines succeeds in building a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal, China will face an even greater challenge. At present, China has done its best to strictly control supplies from the Philippines, but still allows daily necessities to pass through. However, the Philippine plan could change the situation and force China to take tougher action. The Philippine provocation will only make China lose patience to wait for the shipwreck to disintegrate. If the Philippines dares to break China's bottom line and build a permanent structure at Second Thomas Shoal, China will be able to expel the Philippines and resolve the Second Thomas Shoal issue.