Preamble:
Recently, the confrontation between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea has attracted widespread attention and heated discussions. It is reported that the Philippines has launched five navigation buoys in the South China Sea without authorization and ignored China's opposition, a move that is considered an attempt by the Philippines to occupy Chinese islands and make a claim of sovereignty. In the face of the Philippines' provocative behavior, China did not hesitate to retaliate by laying three light buoys and sending large tugboats to clear the wrecker, while demonstrating to the Philippines its determination to resolutely safeguard its national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
1. The Philippines launched buoys without authorization to provoke China
Recently, the Philippines has become more and more provocative in the South China Sea, ignoring international law and basic norms governing international relations, and openly challenging China's bottom line, which has seriously damaged the friendly relations between China and the Philippines and posed a great threat to regional peace and stability.
Not long ago, the Philippines launched five buoys in the waters off Thitu Island without authorization, claiming that this was to ensure the safety of navigation, however, China, as a neighboring country, undoubtedly expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition to this, because this is obviously a provocative act by the Philippines to invade and occupy China's islands, and at the same time it is also a blatant challenge to China's sovereignty.
In the face of this move by the Philippines, China has repeatedly lodged representations and protests with the Philippines, demanding that the Philippines immediately withdraw these buoys and stop occupying China's islands, but the Philippines ignores China's position and demands, still stubbornly holds its own opinion, and even openly declares that it will carry out this provocative act to the end, which is undoubtedly touching China's bottom line and posing a serious threat to China's national interests and territorial integrity.
2. China has responded decisively to safeguard its national interests and maritime rights and interests
In the face of the Philippines' provocative behavior, China did not hesitate to make a decisive response, not only launching three light buoys into the sea area not far from the location of the buoys set up by the Philippines on the night of May 28 local time, but also sending a comprehensive border and coastal defense law enforcement ship and a large tugboat to the vicinity of Ren'ai Jiao to carry out wrecker clearance operations, which is also a clear indication of China's firm determination to resolutely safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests.
We can clearly see that China's response this time is very decisive, not only making clear its position and demands to the Philippines at the first time, but also sending a very clear signal to the international community through concrete actions, that is, China will never allow any country to arbitrarily invade and occupy the South China Sea, nor will it allow any regional peace and stability to be undermined.
It is worth mentioning that China's series of response measures are fully in line with international law and international practice, and the so-called "navigation security guarantee" behavior of the Philippine side is obviously a distortion and abuse of international law.
3. Conflicts between China and the Philippines may continue to escalate, and China may take tough measures
Although China has made clear its position and demands to the Philippines through various channels and methods, and has resolutely responded to them through practical actions, judging from the current situation, the Philippines still turns a deaf ear to China's legitimate rights and interests and demands, and even uses the United States and Japan to conduct joint military exercises in an attempt to suppress China through external forces, which will undoubtedly bring further escalation of the contradictions between China and the Philippines and a greater threat to regional peace and stability.
If the Philippines persists in its encroachment and refuses to accept international arbitration and dialogue, then China may take tougher and more forceful measures to respond to the Philippines on the basis of a full assessment of the situation, which may include sending coast guard ships and warships to help safeguard China's legitimate rights and interests at some point in the future, and may also conduct larger-scale military exercises to send a very strong signal to the Philippines and the international community.
Of course, we do not want such a development in the regional situation, so we call on the Philippines to face up to the current problems and contradictions, and actively return to the track of interlocutors.
Epilogue:
As a responsible major country, China has been emphasizing the importance of peacefully resolving disputes and promoting cooperation, and has also shown great patience and sincerity in the affairs of the South China Sea.
We believe that only when all countries can look at the current problems and challenges in a rational and objective manner can we truly find solutions that meet the interests of all parties and achieve common prosperity and development.