During the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, the meeting between the Chinese and US defense ministers is undoubtedly a focus of attention from the outside world. On the one hand, this is because this meeting is the first face-to-face meeting between the Chinese and US defense ministers after a year and a half, and it can play a positive role in easing tensions between China and the United States.
On the other hand, as the situation in the Asia-Pacific region continues to escalate, all countries hope that China and the United States can properly handle differences and contradictions and avoid an all-round escalation of the situation. At the meeting between the Chinese and US defense ministers, Chinese Defense Minister General Dong Jun made clear to US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin the Chinese side of China-US relations, the Taiwan issue, and the South China Sea issue, and the meeting lasted a little longer than expected, reaching 75 minutes, taking into account the need for in-depth discussions and exchanges between the two sides in many fields.
However, it is not yet known whether the two sides have reached a consensus on certain issues, but it is believed that after the conclusion of the meeting between the Chinese and US defense ministers, the relations between the two militaries and the tense situation in the Asia-Pacific region should change to a certain extent. However, shortly after the meeting between the Chinese and US defense ministers, the eyes of the outside world turned to Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, who was visiting Singapore.
It is no exaggeration to say that the current differences and contradictions between China and the United States in the South China Sea are to a large extent directly related to the Philippines. After Marcos took office, US-Philippine relations warmed up sharply, and not only did the two sides re-sign the "US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty," but the Philippines also directly transferred nine military bases to the United States as a "vote of nomination" for deepening US-Philippine military cooperation.
Naturally, the United States will not refuse the signal released by the Philippines on its own initiative. The Biden administration and the US military have not only reaffirmed the "importance" of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty in public on many occasions, but have also repeatedly joined forces with allies to carry out joint military exercises with the Philippines in the South China Sea, and even deployed the "Typhon" medium-range missile strike system on Luzon Island in the northern part of the Philippines.
After receiving the support and instigation of the United States, the burden on the Philippines has also increased. At the Shangri-La Dialogue, Marcos delivered a keynote speech in which he made a point of view on the South China Sea issue and China-Philippines relations. Although he has repeatedly stressed that he hopes to "peaceful coexistence" with China in the South China Sea, he has also made it clear that if a Philippine crew member or citizen dies during a confrontation in the South China Sea, then it is very close to the Philippine standard of "going to war", and the Philippines will inevitably take corresponding countermeasures.
In fact, this statement can be regarded as a "red line" warning drawn against China, and it is also a "reminder" that China should "act carefully" on the South China Sea issue in front of many countries around the world. Obviously, Marcos did not recognize his mistake and did not intend to confront China on the South China Sea issue, but still intended to "stubbornly resist to the end". Previously, the Chinese and Philippine coast guards engaged in a number of exchanges in the waters near Ren'ai Jiao and Scarborough Shoal, during which Chinese coast guard law enforcement vessels used waterway control and water cannon suppression to drive away Philippine vessels trying to force their way into China's islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
In the face of the huge disparity in strength, Marcos can only pin all his hopes on the United States, hoping that when the Philippines is "breaking the boat", the United States can fulfill the promises it has made and provide the Philippines with the support and assistance it wants. Now, Marcos is sending a strong signal at the Shangri-La Dialogue, with two main purposes:
First, to show the outside world the Philippines' "firm attitude and position" on the South China Sea issue, to win sympathy, and preferably to use international public opinion to put pressure on China. Second, it secretly pressurs the United States to take the initiative to support the Philippines and provide "support and confidence" for the Philippines' subsequent provocations. Naturally, China will not allow Marcos's erroneous move of deliberately stirring up trouble.
In his keynote speech, Defense Minister Dong Jun clearly pointed out that China will not allow hegemonism and power politics to harm the Asia-Pacific region, will not allow geopolitical conflicts and cold wars and hot wars to be introduced into the region, and will not allow any country or force to cause war and chaos here. In fact, this is a warning to the United States and the Philippines not to undermine peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, and if they dare to provoke for their own selfish desires, then China will inevitably retaliate with a thunderous force.