The Shandong ship and the Type 075 amphibious assault ship took turns to deter, and after the Philippine military realized that the surface ships could not compare, it turned its head and focused on the underwater of the South China Sea, vainly trying to purchase submarines and continue to compete with China.
Recently, the Business Insider website revealed an ambitious plan by the Philippine military to buy its first attack submarine in order to boost its maritime capabilities.
It is worth noting that the Philippines directly linked this action to the strategic layout against China.
(Illustration: The Philippines is eager to get its first attack submarine)
We know that in 2022, the Philippines launched the Horizon 3 program, which aims to modernize the military. This year, the third phase of the plan was also officially approved, which means that the Philippine military will next work towards the ambitious goal of acquiring the first submarine.
Philippine Navy spokesman Roy Trinidad said that the Philippines wants to build a naval force that can safeguard the country's territorial rights and sovereignty, so it has already negotiated the purchase of submarines from many countries, which shows that its goal is obviously not just to obtain one.
It is reported that the Philippines has also contacted Russia before and wants to purchase Kilo-class Type 636M submarines. In addition, France and South Korea have also expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Philippines in the field of submarines.
Of course, for the United States, this is also an opportunity to intervene in the South China Sea.
By strengthening the Philippines' military capabilities, the United States and its allies hope to strengthen the "second island chain" and blockade China as soon as possible in the face of China's growing maritime influence.
In addition, countries are optimistic about cooperation with the Philippines, but also thanks to the submarine as a complete system, the Philippines to buy submarines, must first have a submarine base, as well as crew training, so as long as the submarine agreement with the Philippines is finalized, the other side will also work with the maintenance plant and base to build.
(Illustration: Many countries are interested in providing submarines to the Philippines, but the question is whether the Philippines has the financial strength to do so.)
Of course, in the opinion of many experts, the Philippines' wish to "have its first nuclear submarine" is not easy to achieve.
According to the US Business Insider, the high cost of submarines, especially diesel-electric submarines, is undoubtedly a major challenge for the Philippines, which has a limited economy.
According to some American experts, the cost of a diesel submarine could be as high as $500 million, enough for the Philippines to empty its treasury. In addition, operating and maintaining a submarine force requires highly specialized training and infrastructure, and these long-term, ongoing expenses also test the Philippines' military budget and financial capabilities.
From the above, it is not difficult to see that in order to target China, the Philippines is embarking on a path of reckless militarism.
This is not unfounded.
In addition to wanting to acquire submarines, the Philippines has also reached a cooperation with India to invest $375 million in the purchase of the BrahMos hypersonic missile, an important weapon system that is expected to be delivered by the end of the year.
(Illustration: The Philippines and China have a large power gap in maritime power)
But no matter how much the Philippines "stares at China" to improve its military strength, it will not help.
For its part, the Philippines' navy and coast guard have acquired a significant number of advanced ships from countries such as Australia, Japan, South Korea and the United States over the past decade, a change that has significantly improved the country's maritime defense capabilities.
However, Chinese experts note that despite the availability of a number of new ships, the combat effectiveness of these advanced equipment will be significantly reduced without the corresponding training of personnel and the support of the defense industry.
Moreover, there is still a big gap between the Philippine maritime power and China, which has far more advanced nuclear-powered submarines than submarines, and has reached the level ahead of the United States in some nuclear submarine technologies, such as construction technology and anti-submarine technology. Therefore, it is difficult to constitute an effective deterrent by adding new types of equipment alone.
More importantly, China's Ministry of National Defense has long said that any act that infringes on China's sovereignty and security and undermines regional peace and stability is unacceptable. The implication is that if you are determined to buy, then be prepared to be countered.