This month, the US Navy littoral combat ship USS Giffords ignored China's warnings and illegally intruded into the waters of Second Thomas Shoal, defending the Philippines' forcible occupation of Second Thomas Shoal. The Southern Theater responded quickly and dispatched fighter planes to track and monitor it in accordance with the law, demonstrating China's firm determination to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. At the same time, Air Force Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesman for the Southern Theater of Operations, said that this move by the United States is deliberately destabilizing the situation in the South China Sea, undermining regional peace and stability, and violating international law and basic norms governing international relations. China will resolutely defend its sovereignty in the South China Sea, and the theater troops will always be on high alert. 
Just after the US ship forcibly entered Ren'ai Jiao, Western satellites made new discoveriesWestern commercial satellite images showed that at the Mischief Reef wharf, about 40 kilometers away from Ren'ai Jiao, there were two advanced ** of the Chinese Navy, one Type 052D missile destroyer and one Type 056A missile frigate. The Type 052D destroyer is one of the latest main ships of the Chinese Navy, equipped with a vertical launch system, multi-functional phased array radar and other modern systems, capable of performing air defense, anti-missile, sea and ground combat missions. The Type 056A frigate is a medium-sized multi-purpose surface warship equipped with a vertical launch system that can effectively perform anti-submarine, air defense and surface combat missions. The purpose of these military deployments is undoubtedly to enhance the Chinese Navy's presence and combat capability in key sea areas, and at the same time, it is also an effective control and surveillance of the surrounding waters. In the geopolitical game of the South China Sea, the deployment and display of power is an important means for all parties to actively compete for the right to speak. 
The U.S. Navy's action is seen by many analysts as a challenge to China's claims in the South China Sea and is considered a landmark event in testing the U.S. strategy in the South China Sea. Although China has repeatedly expressed its firm position on territorial sovereignty over the waters, the United States continues to challenge and challenge this sovereignty claim through maritime operations. One detail is that Mischief Reef is only 40 kilometers away from Second Thomas Reef, which can be reached with one foot of gas for modern **. Even if it stays at Mischief Reef and does not move, the "YJ-18" anti-ship missile carried by the 052D has a range of up to 600 kilometers, and its over-the-horizon strike capability can cover the entire sea area of Ren'ai Jiao. The Chinese side sent 1 052D and 1 056A, which was also the result of careful consideration, and the USS "Giffords" is a littoral combat ship, mainly designed for coastal operations, weighing about 3,000 tons, equipped with various anti-ship, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft ** systems, although small, its flexibility and multi-mission ability cannot be ignored. 
The Chinese Navy's Type 052D is a third-generation guided missile destroyer with a displacement of nearly 7,000 tons, equipped with a vertical launch system (VLS) capable of launching multi-purpose missiles, including anti-ship, anti-air, and land-attack missiles. The Type 052D has also put a lot of effort into electronic warfare and information systems, and has strong regional air defense and maritime strike capabilities. Type 056A frigates, with their better comprehensive performance and lower cost, have formed a numerical advantage, and are mainly responsible for anti-submarine and maritime escort tasks. Judging by the performance of the ships, the arrival of the Type 052D has undoubtedly strengthened China's deterrence in this waters. The American "Giffords" is inferior in terms of firepower and defense systems compared to the Type 052D destroyers. Even though the "Giffords" has its characteristic flexibility and stealth characteristics, it is difficult to compare with the Type 052D in terms of comprehensive maritime combat capabilities. The strength of the Philippine Navy is relatively weak, and even if it has developed in recent years, there is still a big gap between the two types of capital ships of the Chinese Navy. 
If the military standoff between China and the United States in the region escalates, the United States may mobilize more ** participation, including its advanced Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and even "Ticonderoga"-class cruisers, which may join the chessboard in the South China Sea. If the situation heats up, both sides will use their own tactical and strategic means to increase tensions throughout the South China Sea. But if the purpose of the US ship is only deterrence, it will not be enough to see it, 1 052D and 1 056A, it is not too easy to pack up a "Giffords" littoral combat ship. It is precisely because of such considerations that the PLA did not send more **, believing that 1 052D and 1 056A would be enough. If the situation escalates, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) will be able to rush to the aid of Ren'ai Jiao at a faster pace, and it will not be too late to dispatch the 055 drive at that time. This can also be seen that the United States and the Philippines are only playing a greater role in making trouble at Ren'ai Jiao. The growth of the PLA's naval and air strength is a strong backing for China to safeguard its interests in the South China Sea.