By Qin Lizhi
3月21日，菲律宾34名人员无视中方警告劝阻，非法登上铁线礁活动。中方海警执法人员依法登礁并查证处置。铁线礁是南沙群岛北部的重要门户，介于渚碧礁和中业岛中间，是往来于南沙群岛船舶的必经之路。菲律宾围绕铁线礁的非法行动早已有之。2017年8月，菲律宾曾欲在铁线礁附近设置建筑物，遭到中国反对，后来菲律宾总统杜特尔特宣布撤出。
On March 21, a total of 34 Philippine personnel ignored China's warnings and dissuasion and illegally landed on Tiexian Jiao (Tiexian Reef) of China’s Nansha Qundao. China Coast Guard (CCG) law enforcement members lawfully boarded the reef to investigate and handle the situation. Tiexian Jiao is an important gateway to the northern part of China's Nansha Qundao. Located between Zhubi Jiao and Zhongye Dao, it is the only way for ships traveling to and from China's Nansha Qundao. The Philippines has been engaging in illegal operations around Tiexian Jiao for a long time. In August 2017, the Philippines tried to erect buildings near Tiexian Jiao, which was opposed by China. Later, the then Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced their withdrawal.
中国对包括铁线礁在内的南沙群岛及其附近海域拥有无可争辩的主权，且具有充分的历史和法理依据。从东汉至明代的的诸多传记、地理志及疆域图中，都提到了中国对南沙群岛的发现、命名和海疆管理等。在清代，中国政府将南沙群岛标绘在权威性地图上，对南沙群岛行使行政管辖权。1935年，中国政府的水陆地图审查委员会编印《中国南海各岛屿图》详细标明包括南沙群岛在内的南海诸岛各岛礁的具体名称，将铁线礁划归于中业岛礁。1983年，中国地图首次标注其为铁线礁。
China holds indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Qundao and its adjacent waters, including Tiexian Jiao, which is supported by substantial historical and legal basis. Numerous biographies, geographical records, and territorial maps from the Eastern Han Dynasty (25–220) to the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) recorded China's discovery, naming, and maritime jurisdiction over the Nansha Qundao. During the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), the Chinese government depicted the Nansha Qundao on authoritative maps and exercised administrative jurisdiction over them. In 1935, the Chinese government's Committee for the Examination for the Land and Sea Maps compiled the Map of the South China Sea Islands of China, detailing the specific names of islands and reefs in the South China Sea, including Tiexian Jiao, which was then classified under Zhongye Dao. In 1983, the reef was marked as Tiexian Jiao on the map of China for the first time.
铁线礁是距离中国南沙三大基地之一的渚碧礁最近的礁盘。铁线礁至少应归类为岩礁，享有12海里领海。近年来，铁线礁经过珊瑚礁自然生长、海潮风浪等天然力量的作用生成了新的沙洲。该礁周围沙洲广泛，海浪的积聚正在逐渐增大其面积，大有成为新陆地的趋势。
Tiexian Jiao is the closest reef to Zhubi Jiao, one of the three major bases in China’s Nansha Qundao. Tiexian Jiao should at least be classified as a rocky reef and enjoy 12 nautical miles of territorial waters. In recent years, new sandbars have been formed on Tiexian Jiao under the influence of the natural growth of coral reefs, tides, waves, and other natural forces. There are extensive sandbanks around the reef, and the accumulation of waves is gradually increasing its size, with the potential to form a new land.
菲律宾在铁线礁的行动，是其在南海地区搅局的系列行动之一。美国对华战略的转变是菲律宾在南海不断发起挑衅的重要背景。从接触加遏制的战略模糊，到遏制为主的战略清晰，拜登政府将东南亚定位为“印太区域架构的核心”和“地缘政治竞争的中心”，美菲同盟成为拜登政府应对“印太”安全变局的重要支柱。美国推动美菲日、美菲澳等安全机制的互动和嵌套，使南海问题和台海问题联动的可能性加大。
The actions by the Philippines on Tiexian Jiao are one of its series of actions to stir up troubles in the South China Sea. The change in the US strategy towards China is an important background for the Philippines' continuous provocations in the South China Sea. From a vague strategy of engagement and containment to a clear containment-oriented strategy, the Biden administration has positioned Southeast Asia as "the core of the Indo-Pacific regional architecture" and "the center of geopolitical competition." The US-Philippines alliance has become an important mainstay for the Biden administration's response to security changes in the Indo-Pacific region. The US promotes the interaction of security mechanisms such as the US-Philippine-Japan and US-Philippine-Australia, which increases the possibility of linkage between the South China Sea issue and the Taiwan question.
美国不断鼓励或默许菲律宾在铁线礁等南海问题上对华示强，会加剧南海问题的国际化，增大菲律宾军方和防务部门鹰派的势力，进而在南海问题上与中国爆发更多、更严重的对峙或摩擦。
The US's continuous encouragement or acquiescence to the Philippines' provocations against China on the South China Sea issue such as Tiexian Jiao will intensify the internationalization of the South China Sea issue, increase the power of the hawks in the Philippine military and defense departments, and further lead to more serious confrontation or friction with China on the South China Sea issue.
挑动地区领土争端，也符合美国作为海上离岸大国的平衡传统。通过楔子战略的方式离间地区国家之间的矛盾，防止欧亚地区出现不利于美国战略自主性的一体化进程，这在欧洲、“印太”、波斯湾等地区都有明确体现。
Stirring up territorial disputes in the region also aligns with the US's tradition as a maritime power. By leveraging a wedge strategy to sow discord among regional countries, the US aims to prevent the integration process in the Eurasian region from undermining its strategic autonomy, a strategy evident in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, the Persian Gulf, and other regions.
菲律宾政府则试图在增加对美安全依赖的同时也获取经济收益，降低对中国经济的不对称依赖性。自小马科斯就任菲律宾总统以来，美菲同盟迅速强化。《加强防务合作协定》、菲律宾对美新开放四个军事基地、美菲制定双边防务指针、实现联盟的现代化等都是明确的战略信号。而《美菲“2+2”联合声明》则明确提及对菲律宾的军事援助侧重点，即提升菲律宾应对中国的能力。
The Philippine government is attempting to increase its security dependence on the US while seeking economic benefits and reducing its asymmetric dependence on China's economy. The US-Philippine alliance has rapidly strengthened since Ferdinand Marcos took office. Agreements such as the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), the Philippines' opening of four military bases to the US, the formulation of bilateral defense guidelines between the US and the Philippines, and the modernization of the alliance are all clear strategic signals. The Joint Statement of the US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue explicitly mentioned the focus of military assistance to the Philippines, which is to enhance the Philippines' capability to counter China.
2023年底，菲律宾与美国、加拿大以及澳大利亚等国举行海上联合活动。对此，小马科斯表示“只是一个开始，后续还将有更多的海上联合行动”。这番言论在非法登陆铁线礁事件中得到了印证。不难看出，菲律宾是铁了心要一条路走到黑了。
In late 2023, the Philippines held joint maritime activities with the US, Canada, Australia and other countries. In this regard, Marcos said that this was just the beginning, and there would be more joint maritime operations in the future. These remarks were confirmed in its illegal landing on Tiexian Jiao. It is not difficult to see that the Philippines is pigheaded to follow this wrong path to the end.
虽然菲律宾此刻抱紧了美国的大腿，但美国的政坛却存在变数。一旦特朗普在今年的大选中获胜，全面推翻拜登的政策并非没有可能。届时，小马科斯就要准备好为自己的选择埋单了。
Although the Philippines is currently riding on the US's coattails, there are variables in US politics. If Donald Trump wins the presidential election this year, overturning Biden's policies entirely is not out of the realm of possibility. At that time, Marcos will have to bear the consequences of his choices.
（中国海洋大学国际事务与公共管理学院副教授、海洋发展研究院研究员）
(The author is an associate professor at the School of International Affairs and Public Administration, and a researcher at the Institute of Marine Development at the Ocean University of China.)
Editor's note: Originally published on china.com.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.
