Recently, the situation in the South China Sea has once again become the focus of international attention due to frequent provocations by the Philippines, and the Philippines' behavior at Ren'ai Jiao and Scarborough Shoal has also bordered on madness, and it seems that every step is aimed at war.
As we all know, in order to repair and reinforce the broken ship "beached" at Ren'ai Jiao, the Philippines tried to secretly transport construction materials under the close supervision of the Chinese side, but they were intercepted and driven away by the Chinese coast guard. However, what makes the Chinese side angry is that the Philippine side, which failed to smuggle the goods, actually began to use violence and took the initiative to drive a reverse car and hit our ship in the process of forcibly breaking through.
It seems that the Philippines has not taken China's words to heart at all.
In response to the increasingly violent provocations of the Philippine side, many people have questioned why we have not fought back, the Philippines is not Japan, not Australia, not even the United States, and we dare not fight back against a country like the Philippines, which is not even a third-rate country in the world
In fact, the sovereignty dispute between China and the Philippines over Ren'ai Jiao and Scarborough Shoal is only part of the South China Sea issue, which is ultimately the result of a great power game, and the Philippines is only a "springboard" and pawn for the United States and other countries outside the region to try to intervene in the South China Sea.
For a long time in the past, in order to occupy China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea, the Philippines frequently provoked China on the South China Sea issue, and even did not hesitate to promote the internationalization of the South China Sea issue in order to achieve its goals.
Ironically, in order to put pressure on China to accept the so-called "South China Sea Arbitration", the United States at that time also sent aircraft carriers to the South China Sea. China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea, and naturally it will not allow the United States and the Philippines to seize China's territory, islands and reefs in this way.
In the face of the pressure of the United States, the South China Sea Fleet of the Chinese Navy at that time was exhausted, and four admirals were in charge, and the confrontation between China and the United States in the South China Sea was imminent!In the end, under China's strong opposition and military mobilization, the US aircraft carrier withdrew from the South China Sea, and the South China Sea war triggered by the "South China Sea Arbitration Case" was finally over.
However, after several years, the Philippines still does not give up on our country's Ren'ai Jiao. Although China has indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, in the face of the Philippine side's provocations, we have not taken strong measures to retaliate.
Obviously, we also have the strength to destroy the Philippines, but we have not used force to resolve the dispute, but have always adhered to the "negotiation first" peaceful settlement method in handling the dispute between the two countries.
However, in response to the repeated provocations of the Philippines, we have never taken strong measures to retaliateA quote from a Russian expert may explain this problem: China is wise. China's position on the South China Sea issue is clear. China has always maintained territorial sovereignty within the "nine-dash line", which is based on historical and legal facts.
The expert said that China has always advocated the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Sea and promoted the establishment of a "dual-track approach" on the South China Sea issue, that is, relevant disputes should be resolved through negotiation and consultation between the countries directly concerned, and peace and stability in the South China Sea should be jointly maintained by regional countries.
However, the Philippines' provocative actions have not only undermined China's national interests and territorial sovereignty, but also undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea. In the face of such a blatant provocation, the reason why China has not taken tough measures to retaliate is because China does not even want to undermine its good development situation because of the terrible consequences of war, let alone because of the dispute between China and the Philippines over islands and reefs.
The South China Sea issue involves the interests of many countries, and a war will not only affect China's own economic and social development, but also have a serious impact on the peace and stability of the entire region and the world.
It is precisely in consideration of the consequences and costs of settling disputes and differences by force, and in the face of the provocation of the Philippines, that we have chosen to exercise restraint and patience, and on the basis of the law of the United Nations Convention on the Sea and under the framework of the Code of Conduct for Parties in the South China Sea, we have always adhered to and sought to resolve the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation, and actively promoted the peaceful settlement of the South China Sea issue.
China did not take tough measures to respond to the Philippine provocations, not because China is afraid of war, nor because China is weak and can be bullied, but because China and even the terrible consequences of war, to put it arrogantly, if China and the Philippines go to war, the war will only be in the South China Sea and the territory of the Philippines, and will not burn Chinese mainland at all.
Considering the cruelty of the war, China will refrain from and endure the provocations of the Philippines and strive for a peaceful solution to the South China Sea issue as much as possible before the Philippines brazenly fires its guns.
Therefore, it can be said that on the South China Sea issue, China, which has the initiative, is actually a wise move not to use force lightly.