As everyone knows, the Philippines is like a green-headed fly, constantly spreading a foul smell in the South China Sea. With the continuous support of the United States, the Philippines has changed from the previous "bumper porcelain" to active provocation, and even staged a scene of "bumper boats". Even after all the hardships, the lost Filipinos still do not change their minds, and even do not hesitate to use force against China in the South China Sea. In this regard, many netizens were indignant and called on the PLA to directly use force. In fact, while strengthening the defense and law enforcement circle in the South China Sea, the mainland has long been prepared for countermeasures. This time, the Filipinos will be completely restless, because the mainland's "island-building artifact", the first large suction-type dredger to use LNG dual-fuel engine, "New Sea Sturgeon", has successfully completed sea trials, and may soon enter the South China Sea for island reclamation.
According to CCTV reports, the "New Sea Sturgeon" sailed from Qidong, Jiangsu Province on July 17 and is expected to be officially delivered in September this year. According to official data, the "New Sea Sturgeon" has a total length of 155.7 meters, a width of 32 meters, a full draft of 9.9 meters, and a maximum capacity of 17,000 cubic meters, making it the largest ship of its kind in the world. In addition to the large tonnage, it is also very intelligent level, equipped with "one-key dredging" and "dredging and driving in one" control system, only one operator can complete the driving and dredging operations at the same time. It is reported that the mud excavated in 96 minutes can raise a standard football field by more than 2 meters, so the "New Sea Sturgeon" is a miracle in the dredging and filling of the port.
For the mainland, seeing the Philippines' continuous rise of storms in the South China Sea, coupled with the United States, Japan and other foreign forces, if the South China Sea is reclaimed and island-building, it will not only effectively consolidate its actual control in the South China Sea, but also make full preparations for possible future conflicts. In fact, since 2014, the mainland has carried out reclamation projects on many islands and reefs in the Spratly Islands, including Mischief Reef, many small islands and reefs have gradually become small islands, and since then, the mainland has built a series of living facilities, military installations, airports and ports on the islands, making these small islands strategic maritime points. It can be said that it is the existence of these militarized islands and reefs that has greatly strengthened the mainland's control over the shipping lanes in the South China Sea and greatly enhanced the PLA's military presence in the South China Sea.
At present, the first choice for island reclamation on the mainland is Scarborough Shoal. As an island and reef located in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, Scarborough Shoal has been the focus of attention of all parties for many years, and it is also a key island and reef for the Philippines to invade. Among the Zhongsha Islands in the South China Sea, Scarborough Shoal is a special case, because Scarborough Shoal is the only island in the Zhongsha Islands that is exposed to the sea because it resembles an isosceles right triangle. According to statistics, as of 2024, Scarborough Shoal has reached an exposed area of 130 square kilometers. According to the assessment, once the mainland blows and fills it into a large island, it can accommodate at least 200,000 people.
From the perspective of geographical location, the strategic position of Scarborough Shoal is very prominent. Scarborough Shoal forms a natural triangle with Woody Island to the north and Fiery Cross Island to the south. As long as we master this "iron triangle," it will be enough to control the nearby waters, and then form a "group of strategic bases on islands and reefs," which will be inserted in the core area of the heart of the South China Sea and deter all sectors of the South China Sea. Prior to this, the militarization of Woody Island on the mainland had initially formed a scale.
At present, anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles such as YJ-62 and Hongqi-9 have been deployed on the island. At the same time, warplanes have begun to be deployed on Fiery Cross Island. If it is designed according to the construction method of many man-made islands in the South China Sea, such as Woody Island and Fiery Cross Island, Huangyan Island will not only have the function of people's livelihood, but also the ability to integrate radar defense, military supply and military strikes.
Judging from the current military game situation in the South China Sea, once Scarborough Shoal is built into a militarized base, with the mainland's current long-range missile strike capability and the air force's and rocket force's firepower coverage capability, it will be equivalent to directly putting a knife on the neck of the Philippines. And as more islands and reefs are recovered, with one unsinkable "aircraft carrier" after another, any external forces that want to interfere in the South China Sea will usher in a thunderous strike from the PLA anytime and anywhere.