Founded in 1988, the Western Pacific Naval Forum holds its annual meeting every two years, and this year is the first time in 10 years that China has hosted the forum. The number of members of the Forum has now grown to 23, with a further 7 observer states. The United States sent the commander of the Pacific Fleet to attend the annual meeting held in Qingdao, while the Philippines, although it is a full member state, was absent from the annual meeting.
The United States did not send the chief of naval operations to lead the commander of the Pacific Fleet and other high-ranking military officials to attend the meeting, as 10 years ago, but sent the commander of the Pacific Fleet, Koehler, to attend the meeting. The reporters on the scene were all following the U.S. delegation, but Koehler did not say a word to the media.
Japan's chief of maritime staff, Ryo Sakai, who was originally scheduled to attend the annual meeting in China, announced the cancellation of his trip to China and the presence of a colonel-level officer instead, due to the crash of two Self-Defense Force helicopters. However, the Philippines was the only one missing among all member states and observer states. In an interview at the venue, the Chinese Navy said that it had extended an invitation to the Philippines.
Senior Colonel Liang Wei, China Naval Research Institute:
As far as I know, the Chinese Navy, as the host country of the annual meeting of the forum, has extended invitations to all member and observer states of the forum, but we do not know the specific reason why the Philippines did not attend the meeting. However, I believe that with the joint efforts of all member and observer states participating in the meeting, this annual meeting will inject a lot of positive energy and achieve a lot of results to enhance maritime security cooperation and enhance mutual understanding and trust between our member states and observer states.
China and the Philippines have recently been engaged in conflict and friction in the South China Sea. On the occasion of China's first hosting of the annual meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Forum for the first time in 10 years, the Philippines and the United States held a "shoulder-to-shoulder" joint military exercise. According to the analysis, the joint military exercise is aimed at China. At this time, the United States still chooses to send a delegation to China to conduct face-to-face dialogue with China, hoping to maintain dialogue and communication channels. The Philippines, on the other hand, chose to be absent and lost the opportunity to have face-to-face dialogue with the Chinese Navy. This also worries the outside world about whether the recent conflict in the South China Sea will escalate again.
Phoenix Watch: The Philippines avoids the opportunity for dialogue with China, and the road goes to the dark?
What is the reflection behind the Philippines' absence from the annual meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Forum and the high-profile and large-scale launch of joint military exercises with the United States? In the face of the various moves of the Philippines in the South China Sea, have Sino-Philippine relations slipped into a cold winter? Please see the analysis and comments of Zheng Hao, a commentator on current affairs.
It is not a coincidence that the Philippines is absent from the Western Pacific Naval Forum and at the same time conducts exercises with the US military. In other words, the Philippines has given up the opportunity to hold talks between China and the relevant departments of the Chinese navy, and has firmly sided with the United States, assuming a posture of armed confrontation.
The US-Philippine exercise has set a historical record in terms of scale, time, and numbers, and it is a multi-layered, complex, all-subject exercise.
In addition, there were two firsts for the exercise, the first of which included the participation of the Philippine Coast Guard, which was clearly aimed at improving the Philippine Coast Guard's so-called ability to confront the Chinese Coast Guard, and to conduct a mixed, coordinated exercise with the military. Second, it is conducting exercises simultaneously in two locations in two directions, one west of the Philippines and the other north of the Philippines. The point is very clear, in the north of the province of Bataan is close to the island of Taiwan, only 300 kilometers away from the island in a straight line. And west of the Philippines, which is also very close to the Spratly Islands, is the first time that the exercise was carried out near Palawan.
Therefore, judging from such characteristics, the "shoulder-to-shoulder" exercise between the United States and the Philippines is very directional and combat-oriented. At yesterday's opening ceremony, a Philippine colonel openly stated to the media that the exercise was to prepare for war, and that it was all actual combat, without any cover-up, without any falsehood. Another US lieutenant general also told reporters that this exercise is to make the military cooperation between the United States and the Philippines stronger and better, and to show that the United States and the Philippines have better and stronger cooperation, which can ensure that the Philippines is more secure. Although these remarks did not name China, they made it very clear that the exercise was aimed at China.
Therefore, the fact that the Philippines did not send representatives to attend the forum in Qingdao, and at the same time is strengthening ties with the US military, has made it very clear that the Philippines is going to go all the way to the black, that is, to tie itself up with the United States and the West. Only by maintaining a high degree of vigilance and strengthening preparations for military struggle at sea can the Chinese side be able to cope with the current grim situation.
Source: Phoenix Satellite TV Information Channel
Editor: Mu Mu