China-Philippines relations have recently fallen into a trough due to the South China Sea issue. The Philippines provoked disputes over Ren'ai Jiao and Scarborough Shoal, and even attempted to ram China's coast guard law enforcement vessels. And the connivance and support of Western countries have further contributed to the abuses in the Philippines. After the dispute between Scarborough Shoal and Ren'ai Jiao on the 9th, the United States, Canada, and the European Union cheered up the Philippines one after another. The United States has even threatened China with the "U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty," which has exposed the collusion between the Philippines and the United States.
In the eyes of the Philippines, the so-called "international community" is equivalent to the Western countries led by the United States. However, the Philippines did not think that the empty promises of the United States were not reliable. The short-sighted and short-sighted Philippines should be soberly aware of this point and not have a fluke mentality, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable. The fact that the Philippines has recently been touting its claims in the South China Sea but has been ostracized by a wider range of countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America suggests that its standing on the international stage is not too high.
However, the Philippines cannot ignore the attitudes of neighboring countries, especially ASEAN's position on the South China Sea issue. The Philippines hopes to enlist the support of Vietnam and Malaysia to develop so-called "new norms in the South China Sea," but that effort is doomed to fail. Vietnam and Malaysia have repeatedly stressed their willingness to manage maritime differences through dialogue and consultation, jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, and oppose any actions that could lead to the escalation of disputes. The Chinese coast guard had to expel the Philippine vessel.
The statements of Vietnam and Malaysia represent ASEAN's position on the South China Sea issue, that is, to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and oppose the intervention of external forces in the South China Sea situation. However, the Philippines has frequently colluded with the United States and other Western countries in an attempt to turn the South China Sea into a battlefield of geopolitical conflicts. Therefore, China's first minister, Wang Yi, made it clear that if the Philippines continues to collude with external forces to provoke incidents, China will resolutely respond.
Although Philippine Foreign Minister Manaro's response seems to have the intention of reducing tensions, it should be noted that the Philippines has always been inconsistent with its words and deeds, and whether the situation in the South China Sea can be de-escalated depends on its actual actions.