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Recently, tensions in the South China Sea have focused on the Philippines' attempt to illegally intrude on Chinese territory Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Jiao, which China has successfully pushed back. After repeated warnings that were not heeded, the Chinese Coast Guard took coercive measures to use water cannons against intruding Philippine vessels, resulting in damage to the radar and other navigation equipment of at least one Philippine government vessel, and severely affecting the function of a supply boat. Shortly after the standoff between China and the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal, 29 countries have openly expressed their support for the Philippines in just 48 hours. In the face of this tension, 29 countries expressed their support for the Philippines, and how did China respond and take a stand?
Recently, the Philippines insisted on sending supply ships to enter the waters of Ren'ai Jiao in the South China Sea without China's consent. The move is intended to provide construction materials for Philippine warships stranded on Second Thomas Shoal, in an attempt to occupy the reef for the long term. The China Coast Guard has appropriately managed and controlled this act in accordance with the law, thus effectively protecting the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. However, the United States was quick to express its support for the Philippines' actions, arguing that the Philippines has the right to protect its interests in the South China Sea. At the same time, the United States said that it will actively participate in the South China Sea issue through diplomatic channels to uphold the principle of freedom of navigation and the international legal order.
Against this backdrop, ASEAN countries have also begun to express their positions on this matter, calling on all parties to exercise restraint and resolve disputes through peaceful dialogue. The ASEAN Secretary-General stressed that peace and stability in the South China Sea is a manifestation of the common interests of the region and the universal expectation of the international community. He proposed that all relevant countries should actively use the ASEAN-China consultation mechanism to accelerate the conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. At the same time, China has stepped up its diplomatic and maritime activities in the South China Sea, sending more coast guard vessels to patrol and conducting joint maritime exercises with neighboring countries, demonstrating China's determination and ability to resolve disputes. China has also communicated with ASEAN countries through multilateral and bilateral channels, emphasizing the importance of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the need to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea.
On December 10, the Philippine Maritime Law Enforcement Force used two patrol vessels, an official vessel and a supply vessel in an attempt to deliver construction supplies to a derelict Philippine Navy vessel anchored at Second Thomas Shoal. The Chinese coast guard authorities quickly detected the operation. The Philippine attempt seriously jeopardized China's territorial integrity, and Chinese coast guard ships followed the Philippine fleet closely, warning them via radio to immediately cease current operations and withdraw from the area. After the incident, the Philippines not only openly accused China of being the initiator of the incident and blamed China for all the faults, but also further claimed that Scarborough Shoal and Ren'ai Jiao belonged to Philippine territory. In addition, they have even considered drastic measures to expel the Chinese ambassador to the Philippines from the country, showing their extremely aggressive posture.
Immediately after, China's maritime law enforcement agencies issued a notice. In the circular, maritime law enforcement agencies reported the following incidents in an objective and impartial manner:
"At 6:39 a.m. (December 10), the Philippine vessel 'Yunaza May' ignored our repeated solemn warnings, violated the International Maritime Collision Avoidance Code, and took an unprofessional and dangerous operation, suddenly changed course, and deliberately rammed our Haijing vessel No. 21556, which was performing normal law enforcement tasks, causing a scraping accident, and the responsibility for the incident was entirely on the Philippine side. Despite this clear evidence, 29 countries have chosen to support the misbehaving Philippines.
The first to stand up for the United States, a country that has been fueling tensions in the South China Sea, has been quick to speak out and make unreasonable criticisms of China in the wake of the standoff between China and the Philippines at Second Thomas Shoal. The U.S. claims that China has "hampered the Philippines' maritime activities and undermined peace and stability in the region." However, the Chinese side has resolutely responded to the US accusations. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Nanhai Zhudao and its adjacent waters have been China's territory since ancient times, and China's activities in the South China Sea are entirely in the exercise of national sovereignty and legitimate rights to safeguard territorial integrity. At the same time, China reaffirmed its commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes, noting that U.S. involvement would only further complicate the situation and be detrimental to regional peace and stability.
Secondly, the second to jump out to support the Philippines is the United Kingdom, which has a very close relationship with the United States. Finally, the third to jump out to support the Philippines is the 27 countries of the European Union. But the Philippines is also aware that the "unequivocal support" of the United States and 28 other countries for the Philippines is merely a rhetorical statement. The spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the EU has made its position clear on this matter. "The European side has ignored the truth and erroneously issued statements criticizing China's maritime rights and interests and law enforcement activities, which are actually providing support for the illegal provocations of the Philippines," they noted. China strongly opposes this. This third sentence expresses China's position: we resolutely do not accept the EU's blatant support for the Philippines.
In a tense atmosphere, the spokesperson of the Chinese delegation to the EU went on to elaborate on China's point of view: "China's activities in the South China Sea are based solely on international law and the historical context of the region. We conduct legitimate maritime activities and resource exploitation within our territorial waters, and we are always committed to resolving disputes with relevant countries through peaceful means. The spokesman's tone was firm, indicating that China will not change its position and policy on the South China Sea issue because of external pressure. "We call on the EU to view the South China Sea issue objectively and fairly, and not to be misled by the one-sided rhetoric of individual countries. The spokesperson added, emphasizing China's willingness to engage in in-depth dialogue with the EU and its member states on the South China Sea issue to dispel misunderstandings and enhance mutual trust. "But we must also be clear that China's sovereignty and territorial integrity are inviolable, and any interference by external forces is unacceptable. ”