In the vast ocean, a new force is brewing. The No. 2 ship of the Ford-class aircraft carrier, a new generation of US aircraft carriers, is expected to enter service next year.
Especially in the South China Sea, a sensitive and important sea area, will the new aircraft carrier become a "catfish" stirring up the situation? Prior to that, the friction at Second Thomas Shoal had brought tensions in the region to a new level.
Recently, there has been a high-profile friction at Second Thomas Reef. The otherwise calm waters have been turned choppy by the Philippines' provocative actions.
Surprisingly, however, the Chinese side not only succeeded in deterring further Philippine operations, but also confiscated weapons from the Philippine military. This incident immediately aroused widespread concern in the international community.
It is worth noting that although the Philippines and the United States have repeatedly used the mutual defense treaty to intimidate China, the United States has not taken any substantive action other than verbal support after the actual conflict.
This makes one wonder, what are the real intentions of the United States? Is it secretly observing, or is it really powerless to intervene?
In the face of the "silence" of the United States, the Philippine side was obviously caught off guard. They quickly adjusted their tactics, claiming that the incident was just a misunderstanding or accident, and that they were not prepared to classify it as an armed attack, nor did they consider invoking a mutual defense treaty with the United States. However, it is clear that this "misunderstanding" rhetoric cannot conceal the Philippines' ambitions and provocative actions in the South China Sea.
At the same time, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken emphasized the U.S. defense commitment to the Philippines. This statement undoubtedly encourages the Philippines to continue its provocative behavior, but also sends a clear signal to China that the United States has not given up its contention in the South China Sea.
The issue of Second Thomas Shoal itself was provoked by the Philippines. They tried to occupy Chinese territory through illegal means, but they did not expect that China would take such a decisive and effective counterattack.
In the face of China's hardline attitude, the Philippines had to change its narrative and try to de-escalate the situation through "misunderstanding". However, anyone with a discerning eye can see that this is nothing more than a delaying tactic by the Philippines.
In response to provocations by the Philippines and possible U.S. involvement, China has significantly tightened its control over the South China Sea.
The Southern Theater dispatched three 055 ships to conduct a joint maritime exercise, demonstrating the strong strength of the Chinese Navy and its firm determination to defend national interests. The dispatch of these main warships is undoubtedly a powerful deterrent to the United States and the Philippines.
In addition to these three 055 large drives, another 055 large drive Dalian ship also carried out activities around the Philippines and made a call and visit to Malaysia.
This series of actions not only demonstrates the Chinese Navy's ocean-going combat capabilities, but also sends a clear message to the outside world that China is capable of safeguarding its legitimate rights and interests in the South China Sea.
However, even with such a strong deterrent, the Philippines still insists on going its own way. Where does their confidence come from? The answer is obvious, and that is the US military support behind them.
Although the Chinese Navy has developed rapidly in recent years, there is still a certain gap between the overall tonnage, the number of destroyers, and combat experience compared with the US Navy. This is one of the main reasons why the Philippines dares to provoke China.
However, the gap is gradually narrowing. As China's military continues to grow and develop, the U.S. military superiority will gradually disappear.
At that time, the provocative actions of countries such as the Philippines will also become more cautious and cautious. China's influence in the surrounding region will be further expanded, and its sovereign interests will be more effectively protected.
Back to the original question: how will the situation in the South China Sea change after the second ship of the new generation of US aircraft carrier Ford-class enters service? Perhaps, the addition of this aircraft carrier will bring some uncertainty to the South China Sea.
But at the same time, it will also become an important reference for the development and strength of the Chinese Navy.
It is foreseeable that in the coming days, China will continue to strengthen its military presence and control in the South China Sea to ensure that its national interests are not violated.
And the provocative actions of the United States and the Philippines will also be cracked down on and sanctioned more severely. Because China has proven to the world that it is capable of safeguarding its territorial integrity and national dignity.
Whether it is the friction incident at Ren'ai Jiao or the possible future dispute in the South China Sea, China will unswervingly defend its interests.
The Taiwan Strait issue and the South China Sea issue have always been the core of China's core interests, China's bottom line and red line, and there is no way back. The key to solving these problems lies in China's own strength and determination.
With the continuous development and growth of China's navy and the improvement of the country's overall strength, we have reason to believe that in the near future, these problems will be properly resolved.
At that time, the pattern of the entire Asia-Pacific region is likely to undergo profound changes. Because China will not only be a regional power, but also a country with important influence in the world.
And countries such as the United States and the Philippines will also have to readjust their strategies and tactics to adapt to this new change. However, no matter how it changes, China will unswervingly safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity from any infringement.
This is China's bottom line and red line, and any attempt to challenge this bottom line will be severely cracked down on and sanctioned.