The Philippine Coast Guard recently set up buoys in the waters near many islands and reefs in the South China Sea, including Shuanghuang Sandbar, Faith Island, Fire Ai Reef, Oxbow Reef, and other Chinese islands and reefs. China also reacted quickly to the Philippines' actions. Some analysts pointed out that the Philippines has made similar moves in the past, repeatedly dropping buoys near Chinese islands and reefs, but these buoys will be "accidentally" fished away by Chinese fishermen a day or two later.
Marcos Jr., the son of former Philippine president and dictator Ferdinand Marcos, won the presidential election on May 10, 2023, by a landslide. He has served as a senator and state-level leader, and his running mate is Sarah Duterte, daughter of incumbent President Bodri Duterte. He is popular with young people, who say they enjoy watching his videos on YouTube. He has said several times that he will not apologize for his father's political legacy.
In 2016, despite China's strong warnings, the Philippines attempted to occupy Scarborough Shoal in an attempt to replicate the farce of the Ren'ai Jiao warship on the beach, which ended in the ridicule of the international community and the embarrassment of the Philippines. However, time has passed, and the Philippines seems to have forgotten its previous lessons and insisted on a "sequel" in the South China Sea. Only this time, it has the support of the United States behind it, and it will be so arrogant. However, the "support" of the Americans is nothing more than a mantra, and I am afraid that it will be difficult to change the reality of the disparity in power.
Chinese tugboats are already gearing up, waiting to clean up the "garbage" at Ren'ai Jiao. That broken ship is like a thorn in the eye, sooner or later it will be pulled out. At that time, China will also charge the Philippines for cleaning up, after all, cleaning up garbage is also a public welfare undertaking.