The Philippines' recent plans to build a permanent facility on Second Thomas Shoal have sparked concern and concern. The move exposed the true intentions behind the Philippines. It is understood that the Philippines has claimed that they will build a so-called "permanent civilian structure" at Second Thomas Shoal, and that it will no longer send military supplies in the future, but civilian supplies. However, is such a statement convincing?The Philippines has repeatedly violated its commitments, changed its policies, and repeatedly committed acts of aggression and provocation on the South China Sea issue. They had previously commissioned a third-party assessment of the Sierra Madre and came to the conclusion that the ship would support it up to 2020.
And in recent times, the Philippines has been hyping up the disintegration of the "Sierra Madre" more and more frequently. Does this mean that the Philippines is trying to use Second Thomas Shoal to build a permanent facility as a backup option for the Sierra Madre?Ren'ai Jiao is an important uninhabited reef in the South China Sea, and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea also clearly stipulates that it should maintain its uninhabited and unequipped state. This move by the Philippines not only seriously violates the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, but also provokes and threatens the security situation in the South China Sea and the overall situation of China-Philippines relations. The Philippines claims to have built a so-called "permanent civil structure" at Second Thomas Shoal, but it remains to be seen whether it is actually a civilian structure.
Whether it is a lighthouse or a marine scientific research center, it may only be a military base under the guise of "civilian". Obviously, the Philippine military's statement cannot be easily believed. The special arrangements made by the Chinese Coast Guard out of basic humanitarian conditions are not a reflection of the strength of the Philippines, but are based on the consideration of maintaining the security situation in the South China Sea and the overall situation of China-Philippines relations. What will be the fate of Second Thomas Reef?What kind of reaction will the Philippines' intentions provoke?The complexity and sensitivity of the South China Sea issue lies there. We need to pay close attention to the developments of all parties and continue to monitor the development of the situation in the South China Sea.
The Sierra Madre, which ran aground in the South China Sea 24 years ago, has now become one of its last remaining "military outposts." However, the ship is already in jeopardy, and if it loses this stronghold, the Philippines will be on the back foot on the issue of Second Thomas Shoal. In response to this situation, Philippine senators proposed the construction of permanent fortifications at Second Thomas Shoal. Previously, the Philippines had a heated discussion about the ship's departure and stay. It was proposed that funds should be allocated for the establishment of a permanent base at Second Thomas Shoal to replace the Sierra Madre. This proposal has received overwhelming support within the Philippines. While this inevitably requires time and practical solutions, there is a general positive attitude within the Philippines.
Considering the Philippines' frequent friction in the direction of Second Thomas Shoal and its dependence on U.S. support, the proposal is highly likely. However, the implementation of this programme remains an important issue. The situation of 24 years ago no longer exists, and China's actual control system in the South China Sea is already solid, and it is difficult for the Philippines to easily break through it again. The Philippine military's provocative behavior in the South China Sea has raised eyebrows. They have tried to break through China's control through constant probing, and have even shown stubbornness on the issue of Second Thomas Shoal. What we need to see, however, is that the South China Sea issue is not just a local dispute with the Philippines, but a major issue between China and ASEAN.
We need to adopt a smarter strategy not to be distracted by the Philippines' provocations, but to resolve the South China Sea once and for all. The Philippine move is certainly unpleasant, but we have a more important bigger picture to look at.