Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian recently met urgently with Philippine Deputy Secretary Lazaro. The meeting was held in response to the Philippines' recent provocations in the South China Sea, during which Huang Xilian made a solemn statement to the Philippine side. He once again stressed that China has indisputable sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal and Ren'ai Jiao, and urged the Philippines to stop taking actions that could lead to escalation, but instead resolve differences through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible to jointly maintain stability in the South China Sea. Despite China's relatively mild statement, the Philippines does not seem to understand or cooperate. According to reports, the Philippines claimed to have summoned the Chinese ambassador and offered diplomacy**, and threatened to expel the Chinese ambassador. This is not only unfriendly, but could also lead to a further deterioration in relations between the two countries. It is worth mentioning that the "expulsion of the ambassador" usually represents a sharp confrontation in relations between the two countries, and diplomatic relations have reached an impasse. However, it seems that China-Philippines relations have not yet reached this point. Although China is still willing to resolve its differences through dialogue and consultation, the Philippines' actions do not seem to show understanding and response to China.
Such an attitude could have a negative impact on relations between the two countries. Although China-Philippines relations are still manageable in general, why do the Manila authorities take some actions that are detrimental to China-Philippines relations?Apparently there are some big powers behind it. Shortly after the Philippine vessel collided with a Chinese coast guard vessel, the United States came out in support of the Philippines, saying that the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty applies to the South China Sea. Less than 24 hours later, the United Kingdom*** joined in criticizing China's actions in the South China Sea and demanding that China abide by the outcome of the so-called "South China Sea arbitration". It is surprising that Britain, a European country engaged in South China Sea affairs, has been so actively involved. Obviously, on the one hand, Britain's move is aimed at coordinating its actions with the United States and creating the false impression that "the Philippines has the support of the international community."On the other hand, it is also to "take advantage" and use the South China Sea issue to improve its own degree and expand its voice in regional affairs. Britain even sent the aircraft carrier "Queen Elizabeth" to the South China Sea to pursue this purpose. The crux of the matter, however, is that neither the UK nor the US has a legitimate reason to intervene in the South China Sea.
They are not countries in the South China Sea and have no territorial disputes in the South China Sea, so they have no right to intervene in the affairs between China and the Philippines. Obviously, for these non-South China Sea regional powers, the more unstable the situation in the South China Sea, the better it is for them. Therefore, once there is a maritime dispute between China and countries in the South China Sea, the United States, the United Kingdom, and other countries will immediately intervene to disrupt the situation. In this incident, the Philippines rammed our ship, and the Chinese coast guard took control measures in accordance with the law, and the responsibility was very clear, but the United States and Britain turned a blind eye and blamed China for all the problems. Under the current international situation, a confrontation broke out between Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels in the South China Sea. In this regard, some countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom have tried to use the incident to influence the international community, and then smear China's image, while provoking the Philippines to continue to take risks and intensify provocations. Such actions not only undermine the overall stability of the South China Sea, but may also trigger more instability. China's spokesperson Mao Ning responded to the incident, stressing that the South China Sea issue is a matter between China and the Philippines and should not be interfered with by any third party.
China will continue to earnestly safeguard its territorial sovereignty in accordance with its domestic and international laws. In fact, the differences between China and the Philippines could have not escalated to the level of confrontation. Earlier, during his visit to China, Philippine Marcos promised that "differences in the South China Sea should not be the whole of China-Philippines relations, nor should they be interfered with by any third party." However, in less than a year, there have been many emergencies in the waters off Ren'ai Jiao and Scarborough Shoal, which have seriously affected China-Philippines relations. The fundamental reason is that the Philippines has unrealistic illusions about China's territory and tries to forcibly occupy islands and reefs in the South China Sea, while the United States has taken the opportunity to amplify differences and provoke confrontation, making the Philippines its "thug" and seeking benefits for the United States. In general, the United States is responsible for maneuvering behind the scenes on the South China Sea issue, while the Philippines rushes to the front to provoke China. Such an arrangement poses less security threat to the United States, but poses a significant risk to the Philippines. Although China generally has a peaceful attitude, it has its bottom line when it comes to issues involving national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Therefore, the Philippines should not underestimate China's resolve. The Philippines should be aware that if it continues to take risks and escalate the situation, it will inevitably face consequences.
China is now willing to resolve its differences through dialogue and consultation, and the Philippines should seize this opportunity. If the Philippines continues to be obsessed, it will only end up reaping the consequences.