According to the South China Morning Post, a well-known international media in Hong Kong, the recent friction between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea has aroused widespread concern in the international community.
According to multiple reports, Beijing plans to make public recordings of telephone conversations with Philippine military officials about an agreement in disputed territory in the South China Sea. This is a diplomatic rarity, and it shows China's "dissatisfaction and frustration" with the Philippines' untrustworthy words.
Recording storms
Observers noted that the recording was a conversation between China and Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, commander of the Western Command of the Philippines. During the call, Carlos agreed to a "new mode" to handle resupply missions to the mainland's reef — Second Thomas Reef, the report said.
This practice shows that although the Philippine side is trying to "occupy" the mainland's islands and reefs with the shipwreck, China has always maintained rational restraint and is willing to ease tensions through a concrete and operational peace agreement.
However, the Philippines has "backtracked" on this, and even in the face of evidence, it has been slandered as "China's malicious influence action".
The Philippine side even argues illogically that audio and transcript recordings may be faked, and even deepfakes can be used to create fake audios in order to divert attention from the "water cannon behavior" of the Chinese coast guard.
Ridiculous, does China need to divert attention in this way?
Many sensible netizens of "Nan Zao" pointed out in the comment area: If the Philippine side has never had such an agreement, why bother pulling out the "anti-eavesdropping law" for a while, and saying that it is "AI forgery" for a while, if they haven't done those things and said those things, they don't need to worry about what China will announce.
What they are doing now just shows their weakness of heart.
The core problem behind this is the lack of trust. The Chinese side expressed its disappointment that the Philippines did not keep its promises, arguing that it had seriously affected trust between the two countries. From China's perspective, the Philippines does not appear to be willing to cooperate with China in managing maritime disputes, which has a direct impact on relations between the two countries.
Ding Duo, a researcher at the National Institute of South China Sea Studies in Hainan, said the public behavior showed that Beijing felt deeply frustrated with the current situation. He also noted that while some diplomatic channels remain maintained between the two countries, high-level interactions have been largely suspended since tensions escalated last year.
Beijing's strategy may be a response to the Philippines' recent "proactive and transparent" tactics of disclosing its maritime affairs with China in the South China Sea. Collin Koh, a senior research fellow at Singapore's School of International Studies, said the Philippines' approach effectively puts China at a disadvantage, so Beijing needs to regain the initiative.
In addition, the Philippines has tried to accuse China of "dangerous operations and obstruction" near Scarborough Shoal on April 30 and of reerecting offshore barriers.
Isn't it ridiculous that the Philippine side is trying to get its hands on the islands and reefs of the mainland, but it comes to accuse us?
Beijing, for its part, responded that the Philippines had "crossed a red line," referring to a 2016 "gentlemen's agreement" with then-President Rodrigo Duterte, under which Filipino fishermen could fish near the shallows but were not allowed to enter the lagoon.
These encounters illustrate the complexity and sensitivity of the South China Sea issue, as well as the national interests involved.
Observers believe that China's attempt to prove its position by making public the recording of the call proves that China has reached the verge of considerable dissatisfaction, and that if the Philippine side does not act carefully, it will only complicate the whole incident.
Follow-up impact analysis
This latest conflict between China and the Philippines not only highlights the deep differences between the two sides over the South China Sea, but could also have long-term implications for the security and stability of the entire region.
China set the tone for many years on the South China Sea issue – "shelving disputes and joint development" – but the Philippines has prodigal ambitions, once trying to get involved in mainland islands and reefs, and even bringing in external forces (the United States), which is obviously not beneficial to either side and has been unanimously opposed by the countries surrounding the South China Sea.
As an important maritime area, the security and stability of the South China Sea are directly related to global trade and regional balance.
Escalating tensions between China and the Philippines could prompt neighboring countries, especially those that also have vital interests in the South China Sea, to reassess their security strategies. This could lead to an intensification of the militarization trend and more diplomatic and military frictions.
The occurrence of such a dispute may further arouse the attention of the international community in the South China Sea, of course, this may be the purpose of the Philippines, they try to use their own "narrative style" to smear China, and use the power of the United States to help it grab more interests in the South China Sea, but this approach is undoubtedly "luring the wolf into the house", I am afraid that the day when the dispute further expands, the Philippines will "regret it".
Long-term mistrust and disputes will seriously affect the economic and cultural exchanges between China and the Philippines. Economic cooperation, such as trade and investment, can be hampered by political disputes, affecting the well-being of Filipinos, and the responsibility for all this lies with Philippine politicians.
Perspectives and Implications
In this chain of events, we can observe several key takeaways:
Effective communication and transparency are the cornerstones of trust-building in international relations. In complex multilateral disputes, increased transparency and ongoing dialogue are key to avoiding misunderstandings and escalation of conflicts.
"Integrity" is the foundation of the country, if a country, even integrity is gone, what has been said can not be counted, and the agreed agreement can be reversed casually, then the country, sooner or later, "all the people will betray their relatives".
In the short term, it is possible to gain tactical superiority and deterrence through a show of military force or other means of pressure, but long-term stability requires more diplomatic and legal means to resolve disputes.
The South China Sea issue demonstrates the importance of multilateral mechanisms and cooperative development in the region. It is crucial for international and regional organizations such as ASEAN and the United Nations to play the role of coordination and arbitration in such disputes.
All parties need to recognize that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea is not only a direct national responsibility, but also a shared responsibility of all stakeholders. Through cooperation, not confrontation, we will work together to create an open and inclusive regional security environment.
As a small and medium-sized country, if the Philippines tries to get its hands on China's islands and reefs because of its "lack of popularity", I am afraid that it will "reap the consequences" before it "swallows the elephant", and Philippine politicians should carefully weigh the consequences.
Through this incident, we can see that, despite the challenges, it is still possible to bring peace and stability to the South China Sea and the wider region through enhanced dialogue, cooperation and trust-building.
In the face of a complex international situation, China, as a responsible major country, has demonstrated its determination to resolve disputes through dialogue and cooperation. This strategy is not only for the country's own interests, but also to promote the broad vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind.
All in all, peace and stability in the South China Sea require the wisdom and efforts of each party.
This friction between China and the Philippines reminds us that in the face of common challenges, continuous communication and building mutual trust are the only way to peace.