Recently, inSecond Thomas Reefand the waters off Scarborough Shoal, where the Philippines continues to illegally invade and provoke China's maritime rights and interests. In order to safeguard China's legitimate rights and interests in the South China Sea, the Chinese Coast Guard launched a strong counterattack against Philippine vessels and successfully repelled a number of illegal Philippine vessels. However, China still allows the Philippines to send humanitarian supplies to China for humanitarian reasonsSecond Thomas Reefon an old landing ship. However, the Philippine side has taken advantage of this opportunity to continue to deliver construction materials while delivering suppliesSecond Thomas Reefon the broken ship for expansion. Using materials such as steel plates, solar panels and generators entrapped in food and fresh water, the Filipino side erected three huts on the old landing ship and installed solar panels. Presumably, one of the huts was conceived as a temporary command center for directing the Philippine sideSecond Thomas ReefActions against China in the maritime area.
1. The Philippines took the opportunity to "repair" old landing ships
It can be clearly seen on the satellite ** that three cabins have been erected on the main deck of the old landing ship "Sierra Madre", which are of size 43x3m, 7x6m and 18x10m cabins. The materials used in these huts are not strong, and the roofs are made of fragile corrugated steel, which lacks structural strength. In order to ensure electricity**, the Philippine side has also installed a large area of solar panels on the ship. In addition, there is a hut equipped with antennas and other equipment, and it is considered to be a temporary command center with communication functions. These alterations did not greatly alter the overall structural strength of the old landing ships, and the manufacturing process was not elaborate. The Philippine side had considered hollowing out the middle deck of the landing ship and building a stilt house with reinforced concrete, but this required huge investment and technical support, and the Philippines did not have the strength to complete it.
Although these three deck cabins may seem to be quite large, they are actually not of high quality construction. The beams of the roof have not been reinforced by large-scale electric welding, and even some beams are simply reinforced with steel wires. The roof material is fragile corrugated steel, which is easy to process, but has low structural strength and can easily be blown away when encountering strong wind and waves. This also shows that the Philippines lacks technical capacity in marine engineering construction. Although these huts may seem spacious, they do not really change the overall structural strength of the landing ship, and they are still very vulnerable to the wind and waves that it has faced in the South China Sea for a long time. Therefore, in the process of repairing old landing ships, the Philippines will not be able to achieve the goal of long-term confrontation with China that they hope to achieve.
2. Long-term goals and actions of the Philippines
As can be seen from the recent actions of the Philippines, they areSecond Thomas ReefA series of provocative actions were taken on the issue. Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the PhilippinesRomeoBrauner and Western Command Commander Carlos boarded by disguised as civiliansSecond Thomas Reef, using the temporary command center to send relevant **, hype to the outside worldThe situation in the South China Sea。The Philippine side has even proposed a radical solution of directly hollowing out the middle deck of the "Sierra Madre" landing ship and building a stilt house. However, due to a lack of technical and financial support, the Philippines is not in a position to complete this plan.
InSecond Thomas ReefOn this issue, the Philippines has shown a long-term intention to confront China. Armed Forces of the Philippines high-level exploitationSecond Thomas Reefon the temporary command center, hype to the outside world by sending ** and other waysThe situation in the South China Sea, in an attempt to arouse the attention and pressure of the international community on China. In addition, the Philippines has even proposed a plan to directly hollow out the middle deck of the "Sierra Madre" landing ship and build a stilt house to demonstrate their determination to confront China for a long time over the South China Sea issue. However, due to a lack of technical and financial support, this plan did not materialize. These actions expose the Philippine pairingThe situation in the South China Seamiscalculated, thinking that relying on the support of the United States, it has the strength to provoke China. However, the Philippines' position in the South China Sea does not match its actual strength. The Philippines should realize that its provocative actions will only undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea and put itself in a more passive position.
Facing the Philippines inSecond Thomas Reefand the provocative behavior in the waters off Scarborough Shoal, China has shown restraint and wisdom. In the process of safeguarding its rights and interests, China has maintained a relatively restrained attitude and insisted on handling disputes through peaceful means, contributing to peace and stability in the South China Sea. The Philippines and Vietnam have eight disputed islands and reefs in the South China Sea, but the Philippines does not dare to provoke Vietnam because it knows that Vietnam will take substantive action and the United States will not support the Philippines. Therefore, China is inSecond Thomas ReefThe actions and policies on the issue are correct. China should continue to respond patiently until the old landing ship of the Sierra Madre falls apart and the Philippines loses its excuse, which is the strategy of a truly intelligent power.
In dealing with the Philippines' provocative actions in the South China Sea, China has shown restraint and wisdom. In the process of safeguarding its rights and interests, China upholds the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes and contributes to peace and stability in the South China Sea. In contrast, the Philippines is creating trouble and trying to occupy China by forcibly sitting on the beachSecond Thomas Reef。However, in the historical hype of being caught up in the South China Sea disputes, it is clear,Second Thomas ReefIt has nothing to do with the Philippines since ancient times. The reason why the Philippines dares to provoke China is because it mistakenly relies on the support of the United States, believing that it has the strength to provoke China. However, once the United States withdraws, the Philippines will expose its own inadequacy of actual capabilities. Therefore, in the processingSecond Thomas ReefChina's actions and policies are appropriate. In contrast, the Philippines' actions will only undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea and put itself in a state of passivity and isolation. China should continue to exercise restraint and patience, and wait until the old landing ship "Sierra Madre" gradually falls apart in the South China Sea, and the Philippines will lose its excuse, which is the strategy that a truly wise major country should adopt.