The U.S. and Philippine "shoulder-to-shoulder" joint military exercise continues, and according to information released by the U.S. military, the U.S. Air Force used AC-130J "air gunboats" to strike at fishing boat targets in the South China Sea. The U.S. and the Philippines' actions have made clear their intentions to support the Philippines' provocations in the South China Sea, and in fact, the U.S.-Philippines joint military exercise also targeted a Chinese-built supply ship, highlighting the U.S. and the Philippines' warnings to China. The U.S. Air Force released photos of the strike on sea targets for the first time, and after the Philippines launched a provocation in the South China Sea, according to publicly available information, the Philippines used two official ships to try to break into Scarborough Shoal on April 30, and the Chinese coast guard decisively asserted China's sovereignty.
Judging from the information released by the Philippines, the Philippine official ship has been damaged in many places in the process of forcibly invading Scarborough Shoal, and it is obvious that the Chinese coast guard will not be polite to the Philippine provocation. Video released by the Philippines shows that the Chinese coast guard used high-pressure water cannons to "wash" Philippine official vessels, thus forcing Philippine ships to leave the waters near Scarborough Shoal. Today, the Philippines has ignored the agreement with China and has launched provocations not only at Scarborough Shoal, but also on other islands and reefs. The United States has publicly supported the Philippines in response to the Chinese coast guard's law enforcement actions, declaring that the United States will support the Philippines through the "U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty."
However, U.S. Secretary of Defense Austin gave the condition for using the mutual defense treaty, that is, the Philippines needs to have military deaths, which actually puts a lot of pressure on the Philippines, and the Philippines must do it before there is a possibility of military deaths. It is also because of the commitment given by the Pentagon that the Philippines has launched many provocations recently, and the Chinese coast guard has responded with high-pressure water cannons to the Philippines for tearing up the agreement with China. During the Duterte era, China had a corresponding agreement with China in the South China Sea, allowing Philippine fishing boats to fish near Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal, but now the Philippines is trying to force its way into Second Thomas Shoal and Scarborough Shoal in defiance of the agreement, underscoring the Philippines' intention to provoke disputes.
The use of the AC-130J "air gunboats" by the US Air Force has given the Philippines new confidence that the US Air Force can use the AC-130J to counter China's maritime forces, especially coast guard ships that do not have anti-aircraft missiles. At present, China is responding to the provocation of the Philippines through the China Coast Guard, and the US Air Force has a targeted use of AC-130J to threaten ships that have no air defense capabilities. Since the United States has nine military bases in the Philippines, the US military's AC-130J can carry out missions in the South China Sea, so the AC-130J "air gunboat" strikes sea targets, and the US Air Force has a purpose.
Just when the US Air Force used the AC-130J to flex its muscles in the South China Sea, the PLA Southern Theater issued an announcement announcing the demarcation of a military exercise restricted area in the South China Sea and the start of the scheduled military exercises, which are scheduled to be held from May 3 to May 5. In fact, in the face of the PLA's superior equipment, the US Air Force's AC-130J is self-inflicted, and the PLA's many weapons have the ability to strike AC-130J, including 054A missile frigates and 052D missile destroyers, and the PLA also has fighter jet patrols in the South China Sea, so the US Air Force's AC-130J is not cheap.