On July 6, Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarilla said that China had anchored one of its largest coast guard vessels in the "Philippine exclusive economic zone" in the South China Sea in an attempt to "intimidate" the Philippines, Reuters reported. With a displacement of 12,000 tons and a length of 163 meters, the 5901 China Coast Guard ship is the largest coast guard ship in the world, and is called a "monster ship" by the Philippines. On July 2, the giant coast guard ship entered the "Philippine 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone", and after the Philippine Coast Guard tracked its movements through Canada's "dark ship detection system", it issued several warnings, reiterating that China "has no jurisdiction" in the area, and asked about its intentions, but the Chinese side did not respond directly. Currently, it is being monitored by the Philippine Coast Guard's multi-purpose patrol ship USS Magbanua. "This is the Chinese Coast Guard intimidation...... We will not withdraw, and we will not be intimidated. He also mentioned that the Chinese coast guard ship is only 732 meters away from the Philippine vessel, and that the Chinese side has deployed a small boat to patrol the surrounding waters.
Why are China Coast Guard vessels anchored in the South China Sea? According to media reports, in May this year, the Philippines claimed that China might carry out small-scale land reclamation at Sembin Reef, not far from Ren'ai Jiao, and dispatched two ships including the "Magbanua" to monitor and deter it, according to media reports. But in fact, according to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, China has always maintained a policy of non-intervention in Xianbin Reef, ensuring that uninhabited islands and reefs are "unmanned and unequipped", and refraining from taking actions that complicate or escalate disputes. The real purpose of the Philippine warship dispatch was actually to replicate the 1999 script of the "Sierra Madre" beaching at Ren'ai Jiao at Sembin Reef.
For example, on July 2, the Chinese Coast Guard photographed three Philippine Coast Guard ships resupplying and rotating personnel of the "Magbanua", which was illegally stranded at Xianbin Reef. Many of the white woven bags were transported aboard the Magbanua for this replenishment. Judging from the words printed on the woven bag, it is likely that it contains construction cement. Some speculate that the purpose of the Philippine cement delivery may be to fill in the reef, which is only 3.6 to 18 meters deep, and if there is enough cement, it can create a permanent stronghold.
In response to this move by the Philippine side, the Chinese coast guard immediately dispatched the largest coast guard ship to deter it. Although the Philippine side says that it will not be intimidated, it is not the case in practice. For example, on July 4, Armed Forces Commander-in-Chief Brawner of the Philippines said that the Philippines had rejected a U.S. offer of assistance after the conflict with China. He claimed that not long ago, the Philippines and China clashed over the "beached warship supply operation", and then the United States kept asking the Philippines if it needed help, but the Philippines refused, because the Philippines preferred to deal with the issue alone. The Philippine side will not ask the United States for help until all possible options have been exhausted. Brauner also stressed that when the United States says support, it means support for the military alliance between the two countries. It was not for the June 17 conflict between China and the Philippines, in which the Chinese coast guard boarded a Philippine supply ship armed with weapons, injuring eight Filipino soldiers, including one with a broken thumb. But even so, the Philippines still did not ask the United States for help, because according to the orders of President Marcos Jr., the Philippines must first rely on itself.
Philippine National Security Adviser Arnold said the Philippines hopes that this is a "purely Philippine operation" and that "this is our legitimate national interest, so we see no reason for them (the United States) to intervene." Arnold noted that the U.S.-Philippines mutual defense treaty is far from being launched, "The Philippines and China have agreed to ease tensions, but we will insist on our rights, we will not harm national interests, and we will continue to fight." ”
Why would the Philippines refuse U.S. aid? The Philippines has always wanted to drag the United States into the water in the South China Sea and use the confrontation between China and the United States to seek its own interests. This time, however, the Philippines rejected the US aid offer for the first time, stressing that this is the Philippines' own affair and does not need the United States to intervene. The apparent change in the Philippines' attitude is largely due to the fact that China's assertiveness in the South China Sea has begun to affect public opinion in the Philippines.
For example, on June 28, at the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence in Beijing, Lambino, chairman of the Philippine Association for Chinese Understanding, choked up with tears on the spot, saying that the number of US military bases in the Philippines was increasing, and he did not want his country to become a battlefield. This week, a report released by Asia Pulse, an independent polling agency in the Philippines, also showed that more than 40 percent of Filipinos favor a diplomatic solution to the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines. Asked about the most effective measures to ease tensions between China and the Philippines, 41 percent of respondents wanted to continue to develop a code of conduct through diplomatic consultations, the report said. 33% supported submitting a bill to the UN General Assembly to enlist the support of member states to urge China to comply with the 2016 South China Sea arbitration resolution; 17% supported mediation by intermediaries; Only 8 percent believe the Philippines should ask for U.S. military support to counter China.
It is worth noting that although the Philippine top level has said that there is no need for US assistance for the time being, and there is no need to activate the US-Philippines mutual defense treaty, the Philippines' actions to reorganize arms and fight have not stopped. For example, on July 6, the U.S. website Business Insider reported that the Philippines was trying to buy its first attack submarine to target China. In February, Marcos Jr. approved the third phase of the modernization of the country's military, which included the purchase of the country's first submarine, the report said. Philippine Navy spokesman Roy Trinidad said, "We may not be a big navy...... But we will have a navy capable of preserving our territorial rights and sovereignty". He declined to say how many submarines the Philippines intends to buy, but stressed that "there must be more than one." He also claimed that France, Spain, South Korea and Italy are all willing to provide submarines to the Philippines. Not long ago, the chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines also publicly stated that the Philippines plans to develop islands and reefs in the South China Sea and purchase more ships and radars.
From this point of view, although the Philippines has rejected the intervention of the United States, it may only be a delaying measure. Because the current tension between China and the Philippines is very tense, if the United States is rashly invited to enter the game, it may provide China with an excuse to expand the situation. Therefore, the Philippines has chosen to forbear for the time being, intending to compete with China for sovereignty in the South China Sea in the future after it has more advanced equipment.