Recently, a series of Philippine developments in the South China Sea have once again attracted widespread attention from the international community, especially the so-called "challenge" of Scarborough Shoal by 100 Philippine ships, and the behavior of Philippine Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro personally leading a delegation to Thitu Island, which are seen as obvious provocations to China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
At the same time, the intervention of the Japanese government has made the already complex situation in the region even more confusing. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appears to have failed to learn from previous setbacks and instead hatched new provocations. Such an attitude not only reflects its stubbornness, but also a blatant disregard for China's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
The evacuation of Philippine ships from the Scarborough Shoal incident was more like a fruitless farce that neither achieved its intended goals nor posed a substantial threat to China. However, the Philippine side has not stopped, but has tried to continue to create incidents in other areas, which is undoubtedly a further violation of China's sovereignty.
In addition, the situation is further complicated by the involvement of the Japanese government. The Japanese government's decision to provide the Philippines with five "multi-purpose rapid response boats" with a total length of 97 meters not only exacerbates Japan's domestic economic burden, but also clearly exposes its intention to interfere in China's sovereignty. It is worth mentioning that the transaction costs, which totaled hundreds of millions of dollars, were all borne by the Japanese government.
Against the backdrop of Japan's shrinking economy and sharp decline in exports, this huge expenditure will undoubtedly arouse dissatisfaction and doubts among the Japanese people. However, the Japanese government has chosen to provide military assistance to the Philippines at this time, which is clearly a direct provocation to China's sovereignty.
In the face of joint provocations by the Philippines and Japan, China is indeed facing new challenges. But we must be soberly aware that the position of Marcos Jr. and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been very clear, and their provocative behavior will not stop. Therefore, we must abandon illusions and be prepared for a long-term response.
In order to deal with this situation, China must take a series of measures to firmly safeguard its national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. First of all, it is of utmost importance to strengthen coastal defense. The Chinese coast guard and navy should continue to step up patrols in the South China Sea to ensure that the mainland's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests are not violated. By increasing the frequency and scope of patrols, we are able to more effectively monitor and respond to any potential provocations.
Second, it is also essential to improve intelligence gathering and analysis capabilities. We need to keep abreast of developments in the Philippines and Japan, as well as their intentions and plans in the South China Sea. It is only through accurate intelligence analysis that we can better anticipate and respond to possible provocations, ensuring that our decisions are based on adequate information and accurate judgment.
In addition, strengthening cooperation with other countries is key. China should continue to seek friendly and cooperative relations with its neighbors to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. By strengthening multilateral cooperation mechanisms, we can jointly respond to provocations, form a unified voice with the outside world, and further strengthen our position and influence in the South China Sea.
In addition to the above measures, China should also strengthen the improvement and enforcement of domestic laws and regulations. By establishing a sound legal system, we are better able to protect our marine resources and national interests. At the same time, law enforcement should be strengthened to severely crack down on and sanction any act that infringes on the mainland's sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
At the international level, China should actively participate in the process of formulating and reforming the international law of the sea. By promoting the improvement of international maritime law, we can better safeguard our legitimate rights and interests and urge other countries to abide by the norms of international law. In addition, it is also very important to strengthen communication and exchanges with the international community.
By communicating our positions and views to the international community, we can enhance the international community's understanding and support for China and further consolidate our international position. In the face of provocations from the Philippines and Japan, we should also make full use of the power of international public opinion.
By revealing to the international community their provocative actions and true intentions, we can draw the attention and condemnation of the international community and thus exert pressure on them. At the same time, we should also actively publicize China's legitimate rights and interests and contributions in the South China Sea, and enhance the international community's awareness and recognition of China.
In the process of responding to provocations, we should also pay attention to the flexible use of strategies and tactics. Through clever diplomacy and strategic planning, we can protect our own rights and interests while avoiding direct military conflict. For example, we can communicate our solemn position and warnings to the Philippines and Japan through diplomatic channels to force them to abandon their provocative actions.
At the same time, we can also strengthen military cooperation and joint exercises with neighboring countries to enhance our strategic deterrence. Finally, we must be confident that the power of good will triumph over evil. The South China Sea region is where China's vital strategic interests lie, and we will never allow any country to infringe upon our sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
We should firmly believe that in the face of the forces of justice, there will be nowhere for any evil force to hide. At the same time, we also call on the international community to respect historical facts and the norms of international law and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. In short, in the face of the provocative actions of the Philippines and Japan, China must take resolute and effective measures to safeguard its national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
By strengthening coastal defense, improving intelligence gathering and analysis capabilities, strengthening cooperation with other countries, improving domestic laws and regulations, and actively participating in the development and reform process of international maritime law, we can better respond to provocations and protect our rights and interests.
At the same time, we should make full use of the power of international public opinion and flexibly use strategic tactics to respond to provocations. In the face of the forces of good, we believe that any evil force will be defeated. In the future, China will continue to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, strengthen cooperation with other countries, and jointly promote peace and stability in the South China Sea.