In the past 2023, the Philippines has frequently provoked disputes in the South China Sea, made a fuss about illegally "beaching" Ren'ai Jiao, and extended the confrontation to Scarborough Shoal and other places, and also packaged itself as a "victim" in the international community, while attracting the attention of the international community, it has stepped up efforts to win over the Western camp led by the United States to interfere in the situation in the South China Sea.
After the Chinese Coast Guard used water cannons to drive away Philippine ships when they forcibly intruded into the waters of Ren'ai Jiao, the Philippines repeatedly hyped up "China's attack on Filipino crews" and smeared the use of sonic equipment, lasers, and so on. This is the same remark that Australia suddenly appeared in the East China Sea, shouted at the Chinese coast guard not to approach, and accused China of using sonar to injure Australian sailors.
In response to these unscrupulous allegations, China has also made a strong statement that it will resolutely respond to any infringement and provocation and is determined to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
It is worth noting that the USS Carl Vinson, which had rushed to the Middle East from the Asia-Pacific region to provide support, has now returned to the South China Sea, which is also the only aircraft carrier strike group deployed by the United States in the South China Sea during the Christmas period.
Christmas is equivalent to the New Year of the United States, and the US military does not return but turns back, which the outside world believes is to support the Philippines to continue its provocations in the South China Sea. Such speculations were soon confirmed.
According to the Manila Times on December 28, after the Philippines launched a so-called "joint patrol" with the United States and Australia in the South China Sea, the Philippines has stepped up its efforts to try to attract more countries to continue the maritime confrontation with China, including the United Kingdom, France, Canada, India and other countries.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro made it clear that the Philippines may carry out "joint patrol operations" with other countries in the South China Sea, emphasizing that this is to let these countries see the value of striving to achieve a "free and open" Indo-Pacific and maintaining the international order.
In this way, it is not difficult to explain why the US Navy's aircraft carrier strike group is returning. At the annual press conference a few days ago, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also emphasized that the U.S. will respond to the so-called "China threat" by deepening cooperation with allies in various regions of the world. These allies include a total of 35 countries, including the G7, NATO, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, India and Australia.
As the "vanguard" of US provocations in the South China Sea, the Philippines will naturally "put on a show" even more with the support of the United States and so many unallies.
Marcos Jr. said in a recent interview that the situation of the Sierra Madre on Ren'ai Shoal is purely a matter of concern to Filipinos, and the Philippines intends to solve it on its own. At first glance, this remark is in line with China's position that internal affairs in the South China Sea do not need to be resolved by foreign countries. But in the past, the Philippines has not listened to it, so why is it so rare now?
From the outside world's point of view, this is just a statement that the Philippines has received the support of the United States and the West, and has made China lower its vigilance. If the Philippines could really "not rely on others in its internal affairs," the South China Sea issue would not have come to this point.
So just listen to Marcos Jr.'s remarks, and I can't count them at all. If the Philippines were a country that kept its promises, it would have dragged away the reef many times over the past 24 years, and it would not have been unfulfilled so far.
Always, the United States has vigorously supported the current Philippines and tried to build the Philippines into the core of a "South Asian anti-China alliance" to contain China in the South China Sea. The Philippines is also unable to ask for this, and the struggle at Ren'ai Jiao and the entire South China Sea region will continue to escalate in the new year, and we must be vigilant about this.
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