By Hu Junyan
胡君颜
The South China Sea has recently been embroiled in another wave of turmoil. Two civilian vessels and two coast guard vessels of the Philippines illegally intruded into the waters near Ren'ai Jiao of China's Nansha Islands without the permission of the Chinese government and engaged in reckless collisions with the Chinese on-site law enforcement coast guard vessels and fishing boats on normal operations. Not only that, the Philippine side threw the blame back at China accusing the latter of deliberate provocation. Interestingly, the United States Department of State (DOS) immediately issued a statement denouncing China's legitimate and lawful actions in defending its rights and cited the provisions of the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) to instigate the infringement and provocation moves of the Philippine side.
南海近日又起风波：菲律宾2艘民用船和2艘海警船未经中国政府允许，擅自闯入中国南沙群岛仁爱礁邻近海域，并以危险方式碰撞现场执法的中国海警船和正常作业的中国渔船。不只如此，菲方还倒打一耙，反咬中国“故意挑衅”。美国国务院也马上发布声明，指责中方的正当合法维权执法行动，并搬出《美菲共同防御条约》为菲方侵权挑衅行为打气。
From any perspective, it all seems like a pre-planned collision incident jointly performed in concert by the US and the Philippines. The video footage released by the China Coast Guard (CCG) showed that on October 22, the Philippine ships ignored the stern warning of the Chinese side and approached the Chinese vessels in a dangerous manner, leading to a collision incident. The CCG took necessary law enforcement measures against the Philippine vessels, acting in a lawful, professional and restrained way.
怎么看，这都像一起事先策划好的“碰瓷”事件，美菲双方一唱一和、共同表演了一出“双簧”戏。中国海警局公布的视频画面显示，22日这天，菲方船只无视中方严正警告，以不安全方式危险接近中方船只，导致发生擦碰。中国海警依法对菲方船只采取必要执法措施，现场操作专业、克制。
As for the sovereignty of Ren'ai Jiao, the international community has long reached a consensus that it is part of China's Nansha Islands and Chinese territory in accordance with international laws including the Charter of the United Nations. Twenty-four years ago, a Philippine warship illegally grounded on Ren'ai Jiao, which seriously violated China's territorial sovereignty. In order to solve the issue, China has maintained close coordination with the Philippine side through multiple levels and channels with utmost restraint and patience, urging the party not to deliver construction materials to the illegally "grounded"warship and tow it away as soon as possible. The two sides had long effectively managed the situation on the Ren'ai Jiao through communication and reached an understanding in this regard.
至于仁爱礁的主权归属，国际社会早有共识：它是中国南沙群岛的一部分，是中国领土，符合包括《联合国宪章》在内的国际法。24年前，菲方军舰在仁爱礁非法“坐滩”，严重侵犯中国领土主权。为了解决问题，中方以极大的克制和耐心，通过多个层级、多个渠道同菲方保持密集沟通，要求菲方不得向非法“坐滩”军舰运送建筑物资，并尽快把军舰拖走。过去很长一段时间，中菲通过沟通较好管控仁爱礁局势，并就此达成谅解。
However, since the beginning of 2023, the Philippines has made constant moves on the South China Sea issue, repeatedly trespassing into waters neighboring China's Huangyan Island and Ren'ai Jiao and deliberately creating trouble in the region. The country also willfully spreads false information in an attempt to seek sympathy in the international media and craft a narrative that falsely depicts China as a bully towards smaller nations.
但是今年以来，菲律宾在南海问题上动作不断，屡屡侵闯中国黄岩岛、仁爱礁附近海域，蓄意制造事端。菲方还故意散布虚假信息，试图在国际舆论中“扮可怜”，误导外界认为中国在欺负小国。
According to scholars committed to the Southeast Asia issue, the US is the biggest driving force behind the Philippines' unusual moves. Currently, the US is accelerating efforts in its so-called "Indo-Pacific strategy" to besiege and contain China, including Southeast Asian countries as a key link to its plot. For some time previously, US senior officials had frequently visited these countries, with the important intention of forcing relevant parties to take a side between China and the US, in tandem with souring their relations with China and undermining regional peace and stability by exploiting the South China Sea disputes.
对于菲律宾的反常举动，长期研究东南亚问题的学者表示，这背后最大的因素是美国。当前，美国正在加快推进围堵、遏制中国的所谓“印太战略”，东南亚国家是其中重要一环。过去一段时间，美方高官频频造访东南亚国家，重要意图就是迫使相关国家在中美之间选边站队，并利用南海争端挑拨它们与中国的关系，破坏地区的和平稳定。
Among ASEAN countries, the Philippines has a special relationship with the US. It used to be a colony of the latter, and the US still has considerable influence over the foreign and security policies of this ally today. Since the new government took office in June 2022, the Philippines has demonstrated a distinct pro-Washington attitude under increased pressure and inducement from the other side.
在东盟国家中，菲律宾与美国的关系很“特殊”。菲律宾曾是美国的殖民地。时至今日，美国对“盟友”菲律宾的外交和安全政策仍然有较大影响力。2022年6月菲律宾新一届政府上台后，美方加大了施压和利诱力度，菲方倒向华盛顿的态度明显。
In February 2023, the Philippines agreed to open up access to another four military bases to the US military. In April, the two countries held the largest-ever "shoulder-to-shoulder" military exercise. In these days, the US blatantly incited and supported the Philippines to reinforce the "grounded" warship in Ren'ai Jiao, and even sent military aircraft and warships to cooperate at sea while repeatedly threatening China in the name of fulfilling the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. It is obvious that the US intends to make the Philippines a vanguard in its endeavor to challenge China's sovereignty and interests on the South China Sea issue.
今年2月，菲律宾同意向美军再开放4个军事基地的使用权限。4月，美菲举行了史上最大规模的“肩并肩”军事演习。近段时间，美国公然怂恿、支持菲方维修加固仁爱礁“坐滩”军舰，甚至派军机军舰在海上配合支持，并多次以履行《美菲共同防御条约》来威胁中方。很显然，美方有意把菲律宾打造成在南海问题上挑战中国主权利益的“急先锋”。
From the perspective of the Philippines, some political forces in the country believe that the US would certainly support them in the event of altercations and confrontations with China. It is also the main motivation behind the country's recent frequent provocations in the South China Sea. However, as some analyses have pointed out, this is simply an unrealistic fantasy of the Philippines. From the"Saigon moment" to the withdrawal from Afghanistan, the US has long unequivocally indicated to all its allies through actions that they cannot count on the country.
从菲方角度看，该国国内一些政治势力以为，中菲一旦发生摩擦对抗，美国肯定会给自己撑腰。这也是菲方近来频频在南海制造事端的主要动因。然而，正如有些分析指出，这是菲律宾不切实际的幻想。从“西贡时刻”到阿富汗大撤退，美国早就用行动向所有盟友发出了明确信号：根本靠不住。
After all, the issue of Ren'ai Jiao is a bilateral matter between China and the Philippines, and the US has no ground to make judgments or intervene as an outsider. The Philippines should abandon the delusion of relying on the US at the earliest time, stop making trouble and provocations at sea, and tow away the illegally "grounded" warship as soon as possible, working with China to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and safeguard the common interests of regional countries. China does not wish to make trouble, but won't shy away if trouble comes. China firmly upholds its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The Philippines should correctly recognize that it's akin to pushing itself into a fiery pit by acting as a hatchet man for others.
说到底，仁爱礁问题是中菲的双边问题，美国不是当事方，无权对此指手画脚。菲方还是尽早放弃倚美幻想，停止在海上滋事挑衅，尽快拖走非法“坐滩”军舰，与中国一道维护南海的和平与稳定，维护地区国家的共同利益。中方不惹事，也不怕事，坚定维护自身领土主权和海洋权益。替他人当“打手”，等于把自己往火坑里推——这一点，菲方不应有误判。
Editor's note: Originally published on cri.cn, this article is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information and opinions in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.
