Recently, the Philippines has gathered 100 militia ships to prepare to forcibly enter the waters of China's Scarborough Shoal. Judging from the video released by the Philippine side, in Zambales Province of the Philippines, missionaries are holding a mass ceremony for a large number of Filipino fishermen. It is reported that the fishermen are members of the "Atin Ito" group, which translates into Chinese as "ours".
According to the report, 100 Philippine militia ships are expected to launch a provocation from May 14 to 17, and the reason they announced is that they are "lawfully exercising the rights and sovereignty of Filipino citizens in accordance with international law", and will try to break into the waters of Scarborough Shoal and drop buoys under the guise of holding a "boat race for peace and unity".
In the face of foreign attempts to invade the country, China remains vigilant and takes action. Former U.S. Defense Commissioner Colin Powell said in a social media post that "China has deployed four coast guard ships and 26 large maritime militia ships to the waters near Scarborough Shoal." Powell said, "This is the largest blockade that China is about to launch in the waters near Scarborough Shoal, and China seems to have made up its mind."
As early as last September, the Philippine Coast Guard claimed that China had set up a floating barrier of about 300 meters in the waters off Scarborough Shoal. In February, Western media revealed that China had once again set up a floating barrier at the entrance to the Scarborough Shoal lagoon. China's coast guard, militia vessels, and floating barriers can effectively deter Philippine vessels and prevent infringement of maritime rights and interests.
It is worth noting that if the Philippine militia ship launches a provocation next, the consequences it faces may not be as simple as being driven away, and the possibility of casualties exists. Because on the 13th, CCTV sent 3 messages in a row. First, the China Coast Guard will carry out regular training in the waters off Scarborough Shoal; Second: CCTV disclosed aerial footage of Scarborough Shoal for the first time; Third, show the details of the Chinese Coast Guard's recent life-saving training at Scarborough Shoal.
The first two messages send a clear signal that Scarborough Shoal belongs to China and is under China's de facto control. The signal released by the third is extraordinary, because the training simulates that there are people overboard at sea and need to be rescued, and the China Coast Guard quickly rescues them in accordance with the life-saving process.
Against the backdrop of an imminent provocation by 100 Philippine militia ships, the Chinese coast guard launched a life-saving training, indicating that there is a possibility of fierce confrontation between Chinese and Philippine vessels, and it cannot be ruled out that some of them will fall overboard. If the situation descends into chaos, bloodshed is possible.
The tonnage of the Chinese coast guard ships is much larger than that of Philippine vessels, and the Chinese coast guard ships are equipped with high-impact water cannons. Earlier, on April 30, when a Philippine coast guard ship tried to force its way into the waters off Scarborough Shoal, the Chinese coast guard used a water cannon to destroy the Philippine coast guard ship's radar. If they encounter the Philippine Coast Guard and Philippine militia ships, they are obviously not opponents.
China's maritime militia was formed in the early years of the People's Republic of China, and the militia has been trained to master a variety of skills, including the use of light weapons and the identification of ships. The militia ships are equipped with the "Beidou" navigation system and maritime satellite telephones for organization, command and coordination. China's maritime militia, like the coast guard, has been on the front line all year round and has rich experience in fighting. If a Philippine militia ship launches a provocation, China's maritime power has the ability to strike at it and make the Philippines pay the price it deserves. The mountain rain is about to come, the wind is full of buildings, the drums of war have been beaten, and a bigger battle is still to come.
(Text/Woo Tsai)