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China, the Philippines and Vietnam, the three main players in the South China Sea disputes, appear to be forming a new model of disputes. While the world's attention is focused on how China responds to the Philippines' arbitration in the South China Sea, Vietnam's actions in the South China Sea have attracted greater attention. So what made Vietnam start fighting back against the Philippines ahead of China?
Let's go back to 2016, when former Philippine President Marcos filed a petition for arbitration in the South China Sea dispute with the Court of International Arbitration in the summer of his country. Although China refused to accept and enforce the arbitration decision, Marcos maintained his position that it was necessary for the Philippines to safeguard its national sovereignty. His action was hailed by many Western countries as a just act of upholding international law, but it was a provocation for China and other countries bordering the South China Sea.
In 2023, the situation in the South China Sea has not eased over time, but has become more tense. The Philippines still adheres to its position on sovereignty in the South China Sea and has from time to time carried out some provocative acts in an attempt to strengthen its influence in the South China Sea. This behavior has naturally aroused the vigilance of neighboring countries, especially China and Vietnam.
Vietnam, as another major participant in the South China Sea issue, feels great pressure on the Philippines' behavior. Especially as the Philippines embarks on a series of military activities in its claimed territory in the South China Sea, Vietnam cannot sit idly by. As a result, Vietnam began to fight back against the Philippines, and took a very tough attitude.
Vietnam's approach has caused a certain shock in the international community. Many began to wonder why Vietnam, not China, took the lead in retaliating against the Philippines' provocations. Some even see it as a tacit support from China. However, if we analyze Vietnam's actions in depth, we will find that Vietnam's approach is actually more out of its own national interests.
First, Vietnam is also under pressure from the South China Sea issue. The actions of the Philippines undoubtedly pose a threat to Vietnam's territorial rights and interests in the South China Sea. Moreover, Vietnam's economic strength is clearly insufficient compared to China's to support the long-term South China Sea disputes. Therefore, Vietnam's counterattack against the Philippines can be seen as a necessary form of self-protection.
Second, Vietnam's actions also reflect its strong attitude towards the South China Sea issue. Vietnam has always asserted its territorial rights and interests in the South China Sea, and it has always held a very tough stance on this issue. Therefore, Vietnam's counterattack can also be seen as a strong response to the Philippines' provocations.
While Vietnam's actions have attracted some international attention, in China the response has been relatively muted. China has always maintained its position on sovereignty in the South China Sea and has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Philippines' provocative behavior. However, China did not choose to strike back immediately against the Philippines, opting for a more robust countermeasure.
In this case, some people may wonder why China has chosen a more restrained attitude than Vietnam on this issue. On the one hand, China, as a big country, will undoubtedly receive more attention and scrutiny in its behavior in international affairs. Therefore, China must handle this issue more carefully. China, on the other hand, has a more complex network of international relations and far more interests to balance than Vietnam. As a result, China has opted for a more robust strategy to avoid unnecessarily affecting the interests of other countries.
In general, although China has not intervened on the Philippine South China Sea arbitration issue for the time being, this does not mean that China will turn a blind eye to this issue. Instead, China may be looking for a more reasonable solution to protect its sovereignty in the South China Sea while also minimizing its influence on other countries. As for Vietnam's actions, we can see that the settlement of the South China Sea issue requires more consultation and coordination, rather than unilateral decisions and provocations. In this process, all parties need to refrain from their actions in order to reach an optimal solution.