The provocative actions of the Philippine side have caused the situation in the South China Sea to heat up suddenly, and two rounds of maritime friction have broken out between China and the Philippines one after another. On December 9, the Philippines attacked the waters near China's Scarborough Shoal with three official ships, which were controlled by the Chinese Coast Guard in accordance with the law. Then, 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 and tried to transport building materials for the illegal "beaching"**, which were also controlled by the Chinese coast guard in accordance with laws and regulations. During these two clashes, the Philippine side took a dangerous step and deliberately rammed the Chinese coast guard vessel. Among them, at 6:39 a.m. on the 10th, the China Coast Guard Boat 21556 was in the process of normal law enforcement when it was deliberately rammed by the Philippine "Yunaza May" No. 1 boat. 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 Philippine side's assault on China's sovereign waters for two consecutive days once again proves that the Marcos administration has no intention of stopping its provocations.
The Philippine side's impact on the waters of Ren'ai Jiao shows that the Marcos authorities are determined to transport building materials to illegal "beaching"**. However, this risk-taking comes with greater risks and harms. The Philippines' repeated attacks on the waters of Second Thomas Shoal indicate that the Marcos administration does not intend to stop its provocations. Such collisions not only endanger the safety of vessels and personnel on both sides, but could also lead to further escalation.
On the one hand, the Philippines dared to take the collision action because the Marcos administration wanted to forcibly break through China's fortifications near Ren'ai Jiao by escalating the intensity of the attack, and transport building materials and materials to illegal "beached" and broken ships. On the other hand, the involvement of external forces in the situation in the South China Sea has given the Philippines more confidence and support.
In addition to external forces such as the United States, Japan, and Australia, which are actively involved in the South China Sea disputes, France has also recently shown a strong interest in the South China Sea. France's ambassador to the Philippines said France is ready for a joint maritime cruise with the Philippines. The French defense minister also agreed to negotiate an agreement with the Philippines on mutual troop visits, and pledged to strengthen Philippine-French defense relations. France's accelerated involvement in the South China Sea has given the Philippines new support, which mistakenly believes that the French team will be their backing.
Encouraged by external forces, the Philippines took more bold action, which led to the collision between China and the Philippines. However, the Philippines should recognize that they should not underestimate the strength of China's retaliation. The China Coast Guard has warned the Philippines about its actions, saying that it can take all reasonable and necessary measures to regulate the Philippine actions. If the Philippines heeded such warnings, it would bear the consequences.
At present, the South China Sea is still a complex and sensitive region, with disputes and frictions between all parties. Territorial disputes over Diaoyu Dao, Scarborough Shoal and Ren'ai Jiao have not yet been thoroughly resolved. For China, the South China Sea is undoubtedly an important part of its core national interests, and it will resolutely defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. In the face of the intervention of external forces and a series of provocative acts, China must maintain a high degree of vigilance and take corresponding measures to resolutely safeguard its own rights and interests.
The collision between China and the Philippines has once again drawn attention to the situation in the South China Sea. The Philippines' provocative actions and the involvement of external forces not only pose a threat to regional stability, but also make it more difficult to resolve disputes. Relatively speaking, dialogue and consultation are the only option for resolving disputes in the South China Sea. All parties should work together to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea through peaceful dialogue, in accordance with the provisions of international law and relevant international conventions, and on the basis of cooperation and mutual trust.
The friction between China and the Philippines is not only a matter of territorial disputes, but also influenced by domestic political and diplomatic considerations in each country. The Philippines may be aggressive in its domestic political prestige, while outside forces are trying to gain their own interests in the South China Sea. In dealing with the South China Sea issue, China and the Philippines should assess the situation and enhance their calmness and rationality to avoid danger and miscalculation.
In short, the resolution of the South China Sea issue requires the persistence and efforts of all parties. All countries should respect international law and conventions, follow the principle of peaceful development, resolve disputes through dialogue and consultation, and ensure peace and stability in the South China Sea.