The Philippines has always had a dispute with China over the South China Sea, and despite repeated diplomatic consultations and joint cooperation, the Philippines has not given up its claim to sovereignty over parts of the South China Sea. Recently, the Philippines once again provoked China by sending four ships to illegally intrude into ChinaSecond Thomas Reefand tried to dock the wrecked ship on the reef for resupply. Sent by the Chinese sideCoast GuardLaw enforcement, using water cannons for law enforcement, and being rammed by Philippine vessels. In the aftermath, the Philippines also blamed ChinaCoast Guard"Collision"Philippine ships, leading to the escalation of the confrontation between China and the Philippines. This incident causedInternationalThe concern of society, especially the United States, who quickly expressed their support for the Philippines and made accusations against China. Philippines**MarcosHe even publicly stated that he would not back down, which once again exacerbated the tension between China and the Philippines.
The Philippines' provocation against China is not isolated, and it has long been at odds with China over the South China Sea. The Philippines claims part of the South China SeaIslandsand repeatedly used ** and fishing vessels to break into China's territorial waters and territory. Such illegal acts not only violate China's territorial sovereignty, but also exacerbate tensions in the South China Sea. The Philippines has sought U.S. support and has used U.S.-China differences over the South China Sea to bolster its negotiating position.
In China and the PhilippinesSecond Thomas ReefOn the second day of the standoff, two Russian warships suddenly entered the Philippines in a high-profile mannerManilaport, and plan to stay for four days. This raises the question of why Russia chose to make an official visit to the Philippines at this point in time, is it a coincidence or is it intentional?Russian NavyPacific FleetAccording to information released by the Information Assurance Department, a formation of theirs, including two large anti-submarine ships, arrived on the 11thManilaport and will stay there until the 14th. In addition, excursions are planned by seafarers from the Russian sideManilaof places of interest.
We note that Russia considers China to be the most importantInternationalpartnerships, while Sino-Philippine relations are controversial on diplomatic issues, but cooperation in other areas continues. In fact, in the context of the disaster in the Philippines, China provided aid to the PhilippinesMarcosHe expressed his gratitude for this and affirmed the friendly partnership between China and the Philippines. Therefore, Russia's visit to the Philippines does not mean a departure from China, but a purely cooperative move with ASEAN countries. Russia sinceUkrainian crisisSince then, it has turned its attention to Asia and strengthened cooperation with Asian countries. Especially in cooperation with China and ASEAN, Russia is aware of the economic strength of the Asian region, and China is undoubtedly the first, but the economic development of ASEAN countries is also very rapid. Therefore, a visit to the Philippines is normal for RussiaForeign policypart.
While the Philippines provoked China to be supported by the United States, Russia did not get involved. The Philippines' actions in the South China Sea are closely linked to those of the United States, which are aimed at catering to American interests, while Russia's relations with the United States are strained and it is unlikely to conspire with the Philippines against China. The reason for Russia's visit to the Philippines lies in the adjustment of Russia's Asian policy. Russia has recognized the importance of cooperation with Asian countries and has strengthened economic and security cooperation with China and ASEAN countries. The visit of the Russian ships was planned for a long time, and they came fromVladivostokThe departure passed through countries such as India, Myanmar, Vietnam and Cambodia, all of which Russia has extensive cooperation with. However, Russia could not have predicted that the Philippines would provoke China the day before their arrival.
Russia and China are inInternationalThere is a close and cooperative relationship in affairs, especially in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations. Russia has repeatedly stressed that China is in itsForeign policyThe importance of the framework, China is seen as the most importantInternationalPartners. Therefore, Russia does not intend to take any hostile actions against China, including supporting the actions of the Philippines against China. For Russia, stable relations of cooperation with China are much more important than a visit of a few days. Therefore, we need not over-read Russia's visit, but rather see it as part of the promotion of cooperation between Russia and ASEAN countries.
Considering China and the PhilippinesSecond Thomas ReefThe intensification of the confrontation and the provocative behavior of the Philippines, the visit of Russian ships to the Philippines has raised questions. However, we must be clear that the dispute between the Philippines and China should not affect cooperation in other areas. China is processingInternationalThe business was conducted with a resolution of issues, de-escalation of tensions, and continued cooperation with the Philippines in other areas. The Philippines has the right to choose its own diplomatic partners, and as long as it does not interfere in the South China Sea issue, China will not interfere in it. Russia's visit to the Philippines should be understood as part of Russia's Asia policy, and not as hostile actions against China. Russia and China are inInternationalThere is a close cooperative relationship in affairs, and China is in RussiaForeign policyhas an important position. Therefore, we need not be overly sensitive to this matter, but should understand that Russia's visit to the Philippines is to promote cooperation with ASEAN countries.