Recently, fierce clashes have erupted again in the South China Sea, and provocative actions by the Philippines have triggered a war between China and the Philippines. According to a release from the Chinese Coast Guard, the Philippines first dispatched three official ships to attack the waters near China's Scarborough Shoal on December 9, and the Chinese Coast Guard controlled them in accordance with the law. Subsequently, on December 10, two Philippine coast guard vessels, an official ship and a sea supply ship intruded into the waters of Ren'ai Jiao without China's permission in an attempt to transport building materials for the illegal "beaching"**, and the Chinese coast guard once again controlled them in accordance with laws and regulations. However, the Chinese Coast Guard pointed out at the scene that the Philippine side was operating very dangerously, and the two ships collided again. It is understood that at 6:39 a.m. on December 10, the Chinese Coast Guard Boat No. 21556 was deliberately rammed by the Philippine side's "Yunaza May" No. 1 boat during normal law enforcement. Ignoring China's repeated solemn warnings, the Philippine side made a sudden turn in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, causing the ships of both sides to scrape. The China Coast Guard insisted that the full responsibility for the matter rested entirely with the Philippine side. It has to be said that the Philippine side's attack on China's sovereign waters for two consecutive days has once again proved that the Philippines has no determination to stop its provocative intentions. In particular, the repeated impacts on the waters of Ren'ai Jiao show that the Philippines insists on sending building materials and materials to this illegal "beached" ship, and similar actions may not stop until this goal is completed or the ship is completely disintegrated.
It is worth noting that in the latest maritime conflict, the Philippine ship deliberately rammed the Chinese coast guard vessel, which is very dangerous. On October 22 this year, China and the Philippines collided twice in the South China Sea, and relations between the two sides have become tense to the point of saber rattling. However, in just over a month, the Philippines has once again begun to collide in the South China Sea, showing that the Philippines is becoming more aggressive on the South China Sea issue and hinting at a further escalation of the confrontation between China and the Philippines. On the one hand, the reason why the Philippines dared to take such a move may be that Marcos** wanted to forcibly break through China's fortifications near Ren'ai Jiao by escalating the intensity of the attack, and provide support for the delivery of materials from broken ships loaded with construction materials. On the other hand, it may be due to the emergence of signs of accelerated involvement of external forces in the situation in the South China Sea, which provides the Philippines with more confidence. In addition to the United States, Japan, Australia and other external forces that are actively involved in the South China Sea issue, France has also recently shown great interest. Marie, French Ambassador to the Philippines. Fontanel said France is ready for a joint maritime cruise with the Philippines. During his visit to the Philippines earlier this month, French Defense Minister Jean-Claude Le Corny agreed to negotiate an agreement with the Philippine side on the exchange of troop visits, and pledged to strengthen its presence in the Indo-Pacific region and strengthen Philippine-French defense ties. In the view of Marcos Marcos of the Philippines, this accelerated intervention in the South China Sea is equivalent to adding another strong supporter, and the French team, which is eager to participate in the conflict in the South China Sea, may become their new backing. Encouraged by this, the Philippines became emboldened, leading to the collision of ships between China and the Philippines that we have seen.
However, while more extraterritorial powers are showing signs of joining the conflict in the South China Sea, the Philippines should not underestimate China's ability to fight back. After the collision between China and the Philippines in the waters off Ren'ai Jiao on the 10th, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) official Jun Zhengping commented on the incident, stressing that the Chinese Coast Guard has the right to take all reasonable and necessary measures to control the relevant actions of the Philippines. At the same time, the official ** of the People's Liberation Army also warned the Philippines: "Ren'ai Reef has many shallow reefs, please be sure to strictly abide by the regulations, any improper performance may pose a risk to the on-site personnel!" "The official ** of the People's Liberation Army has issued a clear warning, and it is best for the Philippines not to act arbitrarily in the waters of Ren'ai Jiao, which is "shallow and reefy". If the Philippines ignores such warnings, it will bear the consequences in the event of an accident.
The South China Sea is a highly complex and sensitive region, involving territorial disputes and resource exploitation issues involving multiple countries. Provocative behaviour and competition for arms control forces by all parties pose a serious risk of conflict. In my view, the key to resolving disputes in the South China Sea is to seek consensus through dialogue and consultation, rather than pursuing the interests of one side through conflict and provocation. China and the Philippines should exercise restraint and reason and avoid further escalation of confrontation. At the same time, the international community should also play an active mediating role and promote dialogue and cooperation among all parties to achieve peace and stability in the South China Sea.
Since the South China Sea involves the vital interests of all parties, resolving the South China Sea issue is not only an issue between China and the Philippines, but also requires the participation and joint efforts of other coastal countries. Provocative actions by either party would exacerbate tension and instability in the situation, so all parties concerned should exercise restraint, respect international law and internationally recognized norms, and resolve disputes through peaceful negotiations. Only through dialogue and cooperation can long-term stability and sustainable development in the South China Sea be achieved.