According to the Daily Economic News, the Sanya Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigation warning that from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on January 22, 2024, military training will be conducted in some waters of the South China Sea and it will be forbidden to sail. Prior to this, the PLA's Southern Theater had already conducted a military exercise and a joint air-sea patrol in the direction of the South China Sea. With the announcement of this information by the maritime authorities, the PLA has conducted three military operations in the South China Sea region in most of the first half of 2024. The PLA's intensive military operations in the South China Sea are obviously particularly targeted, for example, the Marcos Marcos administration in the Philippines, which has been provoking China in the South China Sea region before, should feel a lot of pressure. According to the Global Times, citing Reuters on January 18, China and the Philippines agreed to further improve the sea-related communication mechanism and properly manage sea-related conflicts and differences through friendly consultations. According to a statement released by China, China's Assistant Minister Nong Rong and Philippine Deputy Minister Lazaro co-chaired the eighth meeting of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea issue in Shanghai on January 17. The statement said the two sides had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues of concern to each other, and reiterated that disputes in the South China Sea are not the whole story of bilateral relations. Recently, the two countries have had a number of frictions in the South China Sea and have accused the other of provoking conflict over this economically strategic shipping lane. 
Since August last year, tensions between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea have attracted great attention. China announced on the 17th that Assistant Minister Nong Rong and Philippine Deputy Minister Lazaro co-chaired the eighth meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea issue in Shanghai on the same day. The two sides agreed to further improve the maritime communication mechanism, continue to properly manage maritime conflicts and differences through friendly consultations, properly handle maritime emergencies, especially the situation on the ground at Ren'ai Jiao, and continue to advance practical maritime cooperation, so as to create favorable conditions for the sound and stable development of China-Philippines relations. The first BCM meeting was held in May 2017 in Guiyang, China. The two sides had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues of concern to each other, and agreed to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state on maritime issues to the letter, stressing that peace and stability in the South China Sea are in the common interests of China and the Philippines. The two sides reaffirmed that the South China Sea dispute is not the whole story of bilateral relations, and believes that maintaining communication and dialogue is essential to maintaining maritime peace and stability. The two sides agreed to further improve the maritime communication mechanism, continue to properly manage maritime conflicts and differences through friendly consultations, properly handle maritime emergencies, especially the situation on the ground at Ren'ai Jiao, and continue to advance practical maritime cooperation, so as to create favorable conditions for the sound and stable development of China-Philippines relations. The first important signal released by this meeting is that the two sides will resolve the issue of conflict through friendly consultations, and try to avoid resolving the issue by force. If the Philippines abides by the agreement, then the Philippines should stop provoking China on the South China Sea issue. The two sides agreed to manage the situation on the ground, what is the "situation on the ground"? That is a Philippine "beached" in the waters outside Ren'ai Jiao, with a small group of Philippine Marines on it. Out of humanitarian considerations, China has allowed Philippine ships to replenish food, fresh water and other survival materials, but will never allow Philippine ships to transport building materials to reinforce the "beach"** China and the Philippines also believe that it is very important to maintain communication and dialogue, because "communication and dialogue" is indispensable and "crucial" to maintaining peace and stability at sea. At the same time, the two sides agreed at the meeting to further strengthen and improve the sea-related communication mechanism, and at the same time to handle sea-related contradictions and differences based on the principles of "friendly consultation" and "proper management". China and the Philippines have made it clear that they must effectively handle maritime emergencies, especially mentioning that the current situation at Ren'ai Jiao must be well managed. Finally, the two sides agreed to continuously promote maritime cooperation in a pragmatic manner, and to create favorable conditions and provide good development space for the healthy and stable development of bilateral relations between China and the Philippines. 
Both China and the Philippines have pledged to take peace in the South China Sea as the main issue of exchanges, and at the same time to earnestly safeguard and implement the follow-up consensus. On the premise of having a common tone, the two sides need to understand each other, resolve potential contradictions, and resolve non-existent crises through stable communication. For the two countries, maritime cooperation is a mutually beneficial and win-win thing, which is the second and third consensus, and it is also the basic framework under the premise of ensuring peace in the South China Sea. Finally, on the Taiwan Strait issue, the Philippines inevitably needs to clarify the "one-China" principle. China and the Philippines had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the current tense situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues of mutual concern. This shows that during the consultations, the exchanges between China and the Philippines were not embellished or concealed, but explained their positions in detail to each other in the most sincere manner, and had a very in-depth discussion on maritime issues. At a sensitive moment when China-Philippines relations continue to be tense, this negotiation and consultation has released a delicate signal. The willingness of the two sides to return to the negotiating table after the confrontation between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea shows that the two countries are unwilling to allow the situation in the South China Sea to escalate further. At the same time, it also means that the situation in the South China Sea may usher in a turning point. During the meeting, China and Africa had an in-depth exchange of views on the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait issues. For example, on the South China Sea issue, the two sides reaffirmed that the South China Sea dispute is not the whole of bilateral relations, and believes that maintaining communication and dialogue is essential to maintaining maritime peace and stability. On the Taiwan Strait issue, Nongrong also openly lodged solemn representations with the Philippine side in front of Lazaro. In the face of China's move, Lazaro also said on the spot that the Philippine side reaffirmed its adherence to the one-China policy and will continue to implement it. Compared with the arrogant behavior of the Philippine side on the South China Sea and Taiwan Strait issues in the past few days, this time, the attitude of the Philippine side has obviously improved a lot. To some extent, Marcos ** still relented to China after all. The message of this meeting is good news for China and the Philippines, as well as for ASEAN. China and the Philippines were once on the verge of conflict because of their territorial disputes, and the US military is currently stationed in the Philippines and other regions, and once the two countries go to war, the US military will inevitably intervene, and then the entire South China Sea will become a battle ground between the two great powers. And the ASEAN countries will suffer from the fish in the pond. The territorial dispute between China and the Philippines has been going on for a long time, and China has conclusive evidence and historical records to prove that Ren'ai Jiao, Scarborough Shoal and other areas have been China's territory since ancient times. The Philippines, on the other hand, considers these areas to be very close to them and are naturally their territory. My country's position on this eighth consultative meeting has been very clear. Ren'ai Jiao can be eased, communication can be strengthened, and confrontation can be reduced, but there will absolutely not be any regression on the Taiwan Strait issue, and this is a matter of principle. The reason why China has done so is based on the following three considerations. This so-called premise actually refers to the fact that China's naval and air forces are now fully able to control Ren'ai Jiao and the surrounding waters. In particular, under the real-time monitoring of the Chinese Coast Guard, even if the Philippines wants to continue to send supplies to Second Thomas Shoal, it must pass through the layers of inspections of the Chinese Coast Guard, and can only deliver necessary daily necessities. However, this is not a signal that the Philippines has completely changed its diplomatic stance, but more like a pragmatic adjustment. Marcos** remains dependent on ties with the United States, especially given that the Marcos family has vast assets overseas, and may be hesitant about Washington's sanctions. Therefore, on the South China Sea issue, the Philippines may still seek cooperation with external forces to strive for more benefits. It is worth mentioning that there are ** factions in the Philippines, especially within the military and police departments. Most of the high-ranking officers in these departments have a background of studying in the United States, so that on diplomatic issues, the Philippines does not dare to easily become an enemy of the United States. 
In fact, the main motivation for the Philippine high-level leaders to attend the forum in Shanghai is because China has recently exerted strong pressure on it in the diplomatic and military fields. China's South China Sea Fleet has recently held frequent training activities in the South China Sea, including the appearance of the 10,000-ton destroyer Yan'an, which has put pressure on the Philippines. Still, these pressures do not seem to have completely dampened the Philippines' desire for expansion in the South China Sea. According to the Philippine defense secretary's statement, the purpose of actively courting the United States to stir up the situation in the South China Sea in the past few years is not to occupy our islands, but to develop oil and gas resources in the region to gain economic advantages. At the meeting, the Philippines made it clear that it would respect China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and promised not to stir up trouble in the South China Sea. For its part, China stressed that it will continue to work to resolve the South China Sea issue through peaceful dialogue and is willing to work with the Philippines to jointly promote the settlement of the South China Sea issue through dialogue and consultation. The consensus reached by China and the Philippines will not only help ease tensions between the two countries on the South China Sea issue, but also inject new impetus into the comprehensive development of bilateral relations. The two sides pledged to continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the political, economic and cultural fields to promote the continuous development of China-Philippines relations. We look forward to China and the Philippines continuing to work together to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea in the days to come. China's bottom line has been very clear, not only expressing its position on peace to the Philippines, but also issuing a solemn warning to the Philippines, and at the same time sending China's deterrent signal to the United States. In China's strategy, the South China Sea plays an irreplaceable and important position, and after seizing control of the South China Sea, it will greatly expand China's security depth. The South China Sea is a typical semi-enclosed sea, which is a maritime hub connecting the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean, north to the Gulf of Tonkin and China's Hainan Province, south to the Malay Archipelago, the Philippine archipelago is located in the eastern part of the South China Sea, isolating the South China Sea from the Pacific Ocean, and the Indochina Peninsula and Sumatra Island in the west extend the Eurasian continent to the south for thousands of kilometers, separating the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. After a long period of propaganda by the Philippines and factions, many people in the Philippines lack a correct understanding of the South China Sea issue. In fact, many people believe that the United States should cooperate on the South China Sea issue. This also determines that the Philippines cannot easily give up competing with China for Ren'ai Jiao. Finally, the Philippines' ** power is deeply entrenched, especially within the military and police. Most senior** have a background in studying abroad in the United States. The military is a force to be reckoned with in Philippine politics. Since his own pension reform has touched the interests of the military and the police, Marcos may not dare to enter into a full-scale conflict with the military on diplomatic issues. If some contradictions affect China-Philippines relations and hinder bilateral economic and trade cooperation, it will undoubtedly bring huge losses to the Philippines. This is also the reason why the Philippines has to personally come forward to explain the "misunderstanding", the Taiwan issue is related to China's core interests, and no one is allowed to test and provoke, and if the Philippines is not clear about this issue, then it will only ask for its own suffering. All in all, it is not enough for the Philippines to make a few promises, the most important thing is to implement them and show sincerity to China with actions. On the South China Sea issue, Zheng Zeguang pointed out that China has always unswervingly safeguarded its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and is unswervingly committed to properly handling differences with relevant parties through dialogue and consultation. China firmly opposes any non-regional country seeking to sow discord, stir up trouble and create tension in the South China Sea in any way. Zheng Zeguang said that not long ago, China and the Philippines held the eighth meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism on the South China Sea issue in Shanghai, during which they had a frank and in-depth exchange of views on the situation in the South China Sea and maritime issues of concern to each other, and agreed to manage relevant differences well and create favorable conditions for the healthy and stable development of China-Philippines relations. China has shown sufficient sincerity in the consultations, hoping to work with the Philippines to develop resources in the South China Sea while maintaining its sovereignty from being violated. The Philippines also understands the consequences of becoming a pawn of the United States, and actively seeks to resolve its contradictions with China, pursuing a "win-win" situation and avoiding getting involved in the geopolitical game dominated by the United States. This provides a positive signal for the long-term stability of the region. On the South China Sea issue, the abyss of history and current geopolitics are intertwined, and consultation and cooperation between China and the Philippines have become the key to resolving disputes. Through a realistic attitude, all parties are expected to find common interests and promote peace and prosperity in the South China Sea. In short, on the South China Sea issue, China has given the Philippines enough steps to act. If Marcos still has illusions in the South China Sea and insists on going his own way, it will not be so easy for the Philippines to talk to China again when the steps are withdrawn. At that time, not only will they fail to obtain the benefits of the South China Sea, but they may also sacrifice their own national development. Whether Marcos can afford this responsibility, I'm afraid he himself can't imagine. Then, at this time, if Marcos remains sober, what he needs to do is to learn from the former Philippines Duterte's China policy, put aside disputes, cooperate with China, and put the country's development on the right track. The interaction between China and the Philippines on the Ren'ai Jiao issue demonstrates the willingness of the two sides to resolve their differences through dialogue and cooperation. China's sincerity has won the understanding of the Philippines, and both sides are working hard to maintain peace and stability in the region. It is hoped that the two sides will continue to maintain communication, seek more appropriate solutions, and contribute to the development of bilateral relations and regional prosperity and stability. In the future, there may be a degree of easing in the relations between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea. The two countries have differences on the South China Sea issue, but resolving the dispute through dialogue and consultation is the common goal of the two countries. Faced with the crisis of the South China Sea dispute, it is clear that China and the Philippines are now deciding to focus on the bigger picture and seek ways to ease relations. With the in-depth development of China-Philippines relations, the resolution of the Ren'ai Jiao issue in the future will depend more on the efforts of both sides in dialogue and consultation. At the same time, the role and intentions of the United States in the South China Sea region also need attention. In order to avoid further escalation of the situation and the escalation of confrontation, China and the Philippines should remain calm and exercise restraint and resolve disputes peacefully through diplomatic channels. Only through mutual respect, equality and cooperation can China-Philippines relations achieve true peace and stability. The issue of Ren'ai Jiao between China and the Philippines is a complex and sensitive issue. In dealing with this issue, all parties should uphold the principles of mutual respect, equal cooperation and seek an appropriate solution through dialogue and consultation. In this contest of time, both sides may realize that time is the most fair arbiter. Five years later, the Philippines withdrew, and the Chinese side took over in a low-key manner, and it was all a foregone conclusion. This is not a simple victory or loss, but a rational response to the passage of time. This win-win situation is not only a geopolitical achievement, but also a product of deep insight into human nature. In this exercise of great wisdom, China and the Philippines may have learned to let go of temporary gains and losses and look at their relationship from a longer-term perspective. On this world stage, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. This game of wisdom is also a subversion of traditional concepts. Chen Bingxian, a researcher at the China-ASEAN Regional Country Studies Institute of Guangxi University for Nationalities, said in an interview with Sputnik News Agency that China-Philippines relations have been tense for a long time due to the South China Sea issue, and now the two sides can sit down for consultations and reach important consensus on relevant issues, which is highly affirmative. The consultation has played an important role in stabilizing the situation in the South China Sea and promoting the steady development of China-Philippines relations. As for whether this meeting will play a role in stopping the decline in China-Philippines relations in the future, Chen Bingxian believes that we can be cautiously optimistic about this. The key will depend on whether the Philippines can implement the consensus reached in practical actions.