In the complex chess game of international relations, the recent statement of Marcos Jr. of the Philippines has attracted widespread attention. In a recent visit to Australia, he claimed that China and the Philippines share "common genes", a remark that was widely interpreted at the time as a positive signal to China. However, the truth seems far from simple. Just the day after the remarks, Philippine vessels again illegally intruded into China's waters off Ren'ai Jiao, and the Chinese Coast Guard was deliberately rammed by Philippine coast guard vessels while performing its control duties in accordance with the law.
This incident once again highlights the Philippines' misconduct in the South China Sea. Judging from the public information, the Philippine Coast Guard ship's behavior is extremely dangerous and unprofessional, and its purpose seems to be to create an incident, and it can even be said to be a "porcelain" behavior, in an attempt to obtain domestic political capital in this way and "receive rewards" from Marcos Jr. **. In the face of such provocative acts, the China Coast Guard showed a high degree of restraint and professionalism, carried out necessary control measures in accordance with laws and regulations, and carried out a strong "baptism" of Philippine vessels that insisted on intruding.
It is worth noting that the use of water cannons by the Chinese coast guard in response to Philippine ships has actually become a normal way of dealing with them. This is not only a strong response to the Philippine provocation, but also a necessary means to safeguard China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. Against this backdrop, Marcos Jr.'s "common gene" rhetoric is particularly hollow and implausible. His so-called "common genes" are nothing more than a kind of political "smoke bomb" in the face of facts, trying to seek some kind of interests for himself in the international community.
What is even more noteworthy is that Marcos Jr. also has an overlooked sentence in his remarks - "but Philippine-US relations are still in the first place". This quote actually reveals the true orientation of Philippine foreign policy: under the influence of the United States, the Philippines has taken a more aggressive stance on the South China Sea issue. This point has been further confirmed by the actions of the US side. The United States has constantly encouraged the Philippines to take bolder actions in the South China Sea, as evidenced by the third joint air patrol and naval exercise held by the United States and the Philippines in February this year. These actions are undoubtedly an attempt to push the Philippines into an even more dangerous position, making it a tool for the United States to expand its influence in the South China Sea.
In this context, we cannot afford to take the Philippines' movements lightly. While Marcos Jr. has sent some seemingly positive signals in public, his actions have shown that the Philippines' position on the South China Sea issue has not fundamentally changed. U.S. influence and intervention remain important factors in Philippine foreign policy. Therefore, it is necessary for us to maintain a high degree of vigilance against the movements of the Philippines, and at the same time firmly safeguard our sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
For the international community, the complexity and sensitivity of the South China Sea issue cannot be ignored. All parties should exercise restraint and rationality and resolve differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation. Any attempt to seek personal gain by creating incidents and provocative acts is undesirable and unpopular. On the road to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, what we need is cooperation and dialogue, not confrontation and conflict. It is hoped that the Philippines will have a clear understanding of the situation, make a wise choice, and make positive contributions to peace and prosperity in the South China Sea.