In recent times, a series of high-profile events have taken place in the South China Sea region, attracting the attention and participation of many countries. Among them, the defense cooperation between France and the Philippines has attracted much attention. French Defense Minister Le Corny visited the Philippines and signed a letter of intent aimed at advancing defense cooperation between the two countries. In addition, the United States and Australia have conducted so-called "joint patrols" with the Philippines, while Japan has negotiated with the Philippines the deployment of troops to be stationed on its own territory. The frequent appearance of these countries has undoubtedly fueled the Philippines' coveting of islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
French Defense Minister Le Corny's visit marks a new opportunity for defense cooperation between France and the Philippines. The letter of intent signed by the two sides aims to deepen cooperation between the two countries, especially in the field of defense. This move not only demonstrates France's concern about the situation in the South China Sea, but also opens a new chapter in the cooperation between the two countries. As a major European power, France has advanced military strength and rich military experience, and defense cooperation with the Philippines will further strengthen the Philippines' position in the South China Sea.
Tensions in the South China Sea have escalated further due to the frequent Franco-Philippine joint operations. On December 3, the Philippine Coast Guard reportedly sent two patrol vessels to the waters near the Spratly Islands, and at one point approached the waters near China's Oxbow Reef. However, once the Philippine ships approached China's oxbow reef, the Philippine side was in a state of confusion. By releasing the drone, the Philippines discovered that about 135 Chinese steel fishing boats were moored around Oxbow Reef, about 30 of which were anchored between Philippine patrol boats and Oxbow Reef in a chain of iron cables.
Faced with a desperate situation, Philippine coast guard ships began radioing warnings to Chinese fishing boats in an attempt to demonstrate Philippine sovereignty over Spratly waters. However, the Chinese fishing boats remained silent and did not respond. This puts the Philippine Coast Guard ship in an awkward position, unable to break through the obstacles of the Chinese fishing boat in a tough way or win the collision. Eventually, the Philippine Coast Guard ship had no choice but to change course and leave China's Oxbow Reef. However, this is far from the full story.
In response to this incident, we can give some explanations. First of all, the waters around Oxbow Reef are themselves traditional Chinese fishing grounds, and it is normal to have a large number of fishing boats. Second, there is a simple reason why Chinese fishing boats are made of steel and larger than Philippine coast guard vessels. Oxbow Reef is far from the shore and must be able to cope with rough sea conditions. Therefore, the steel structure of the fishing boat became a reasonable choice. In addition, the reason for the connection between fishing vessels may also be that the owner is reluctant to use the anchor method and chooses to connect by a cable instead. Finally, note that Oxbow Reef is surrounded by atolls and has less of an impact on the lagoon by waves, making it ideal for fishing boats, survey vessels, or engineering vessels. Therefore, the continuous docking between Chinese fishing vessels is not surprising.
From a strategic point of view, the Philippines' intention to send the coast guard vessels is not just a superficial act of activism. Strategically important, Oxbow Reef is the largest atoll in the Jiuzhang Reefs and the best choice for reclamation construction. According to the analysis, the reclamation area of Oxbow Reef is about 15 square kilometers, which is enough to build a large airport runway and forward base. Therefore, the Philippines may want to use this to repeat the story of the last century on Second Thomas Shoal. However, the Philippines must be soberly aware that its power in the South China Sea is far from that of China. Sending a coast guard vessel would bring superficial comfort to the Philippines, but in reality it would only lead to trouble.
The Philippines should be rational about the current situation and stop endangering regional security. The Philippines has no right to interfere with China's legitimate rights and interests in disputes over the South China Sea. Only dialogue and cooperation with China and the pursuit of the common interests of all parties can truly achieve stability and peace.
At present, the Philippines and France have strengthened defense cooperation, and foreign countries frequently come to the South China Sea to make a lively scene, which has had a certain impact on the situation in the South China Sea. However, the Philippines should remain rational and stop endangering regional security. Although the Philippines may have some intentions, the Philippines has a huge disparity in power in the South China Sea compared to China. It is only through dialogue and cooperation that a stable and peaceful solution can be sought. With regard to the South China Sea dispute, all countries need to work together to respect international law and the principle of freedom of navigation in order to maintain regional stability and peace.