At the regular press conference on the 25th, another reporter mentioned the new conspiracy revealed by the chief of staff of the Philippine Armed Forces. This incident actually happened on the 15th, some time ago, when the Philippine side claimed that it planned to develop islands and reefs in the South China Sea, and threatened to buy more ships and radars, and even some analysts believed that the Philippines also intended to build "outposts" in the South China Sea.
Originally, the next day, on the 16th, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning made a clear response that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and their adjacent waters, and China firmly opposes the illegal construction activities carried out by relevant countries on China's Nansha islands and reefs that are illegally occupied. The Chinese dialect has reached this point, and the meaning is very clear. However, after nearly 10 days, another reporter asked a question, and it is clear that although China has expressed its opposition, the Philippines has no intention of giving up its own move.
As for the response of the Ministry of Defense, let's put aside for the moment and talk about the consequences of the Philippine move. What we can be clear here is that the Philippine side's intention to build a so-called "outpost" in the South China Sea is a very dangerous move.
Why? Because the current stability in the South China Sea depends to a large extent on the consensus between China and ASEAN countries, including the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" and the "Code of Conduct in the South China Sea" that is being sought to be implemented gradually, because everyone does not want chaos in the South China Sea, and chaos in the South China Sea is not only not good for China and ASEAN, but may also give foreign forces the opportunity to infiltrate the South China Sea. In a stable situation based on consensus, the most feared thing is that one party crosses the red line first, because once the red line is crossed, the rules are broken, and no one can predict what will happen next.
The Philippine military's ambition to recruit troops to develop islands and reefs in the South China Sea is clearly a move to cross the red line, which is likely to lead to a sharp deterioration in the situation in the South China Sea. More importantly, the Philippines has overlooked the fact that the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea is not helping China, but rather countries like the Philippines that intend to invade and occupy China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea. The reason is very simple: If China and ASEAN do not have a consensus, then the South China Sea is completely based on the legitimacy and strength of sovereignty, China's sovereignty over the islands and reefs in the South China Sea has a sufficient historical and legitimate basis, and China's strength is stronger than the entire ASEAN combined, so it can be said that if China had not cared about the stability of the South China Sea and had not had the consensus between China and ASEAN, the Philippines would have been driven out of the South China Sea long ago.
In that case, what is the attitude of the United States toward the Philippine side's move? Why does the United States not stop the Philippines from taking this measure that may be unfavorable to itself? This is because the United States is actually only one step away from being out of the South China Sea. This is not what we are talking about, but the conclusion that scholars from many countries, including the United States, have already lost the South China Sea. In fact, these provocations, including the US media itself, are not optimistic, believing that such acts are only symbolic provocations and do not pose a threat to China at all.
The most critical game in the South China Sea between China and the United States and the Philippines is the five islands and reefs, namely the inverted triangle of Scarborough Shoal, Woody Island and Fiery Cross Island, and the small triangle of Fiery Cross Island, Subi Island and Mischief Island. Whoever can control these five islands and reefs will have the initiative. All five of these islands and reefs are in Chinese hands, and four have already been developed, with the exception of Scarborough Shoal. Therefore, some scholars have previously asserted that once China starts military construction at Scarborough Shoal, the United States and the Philippines will basically be out of the South China Sea, so the scholar can't help but worry that if China starts to build Scarborough Shoal, the U.S. military will not rule out launching air strikes, triggering a hot war between China and the United States.
We cannot say for sure whether the U.S. military will dare to launch air strikes, but it is a fact that China is only one step away from kicking the U.S. and the Philippines out of the South China Sea. Under such circumstances, the United States gradually felt that it had nothing to do, so the US media concluded that the US game around the South China Sea had already lost to China.
Based on this, the US side is also trying to find a way, and it happens that the Philippines is now interested in making such an outrageous move in the South China Sea, and the US side may also hope to use this as a test, if this matter angers the Chinese side, it will only be the Philippines that will be unlucky in the end, and the US side will not directly help. If China does not react, then the United States and the Philippines can intensify their penetration into the South China Sea in order to gain more room for maneuvering and continue to wait for opportunities to infiltrate the South China Sea.
Now that the Ministry of National Defense has accepted the challenge, Senior Colonel Wu Qian, director of the Information Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense and spokesman of the Ministry of National Defense, made a clear statement, expressing his firm opposition to the Philippine side's illegal occupation of China's Nansha islands and reefs to carry out any form of construction activities, and stressing that if the Philippine side insists on going its own way, China will resolutely take countermeasures.
You must know that this time it is not the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but the Ministry of National Defense, which represents the People's Liberation Army, and the Ministry of National Defense can make such a statement, and we do not rule out that the target of the People's Liberation Army has been locked, and if the Philippine side does not stop, I am afraid that it will be ready to pay the price!