Meiji Island is the largest island in Nansha in my country. The main island covers an area of 5.66 square kilometers. Including the southern island and the outlet sandbar, the total area is about 6 square kilometers, and the concrete bank protection is 25.7 kilometers long.
After years of construction, Meiji Island is equipped with airports, ports, hospitals, cinemas, sports venues and other infrastructure. The uniform red-roofed buildings give Meiji Island the unique style of a seaside city.
Aerial photography of Meiji Island
Satellite view of Meiji Island
The completion of Meiji Island has provided a strategic fulcrum for China to effectively control the Nansha Islands. Its role cannot be overstated.
Philippine "Manila Times" chief columnist Gerberto Tiglao believes: "China's new artificial islands have fundamentally changed the balance of power in the South China Sea. The Aquino III government and the United States have conspired to bring China into power through arbitration proceedings." However, China responded with a series of island fortifications, greatly strengthening its presence and claims to the disputed islands. Ratli Islands", and finally he mocked himself: "China should award these people with medals"
In fact, the fierce reaction of the Philippines to Mischief Reef from a reef to a large artificial island is indeed an objective boost. force has been unceasingly stimulating China to strengthen its control over Mischief Reef.
Provoking disputes in an attempt to attract international attention
China Fishery Administration 34 ships battled the USS Benster warship
In 1994, the Chinese government made up its mind to actually control Mischief Reef and decided to take the lead in the fishery administration to build a fishing port on Mischief Reef. .
In order to ensure the smooth progress of the project, all actions were carried out confidentially. Before departure, it was predicted that the Philippines might react, but the intensity of the reaction surprised the relevant personnel involved in the decision-making and construction of Mischief Reef, saying: "I didn't expect the Philippines to react so violently!"
A Philippine fishing boat operating near Mischief Reef discovered the Chinese construction team and immediately reported it to the Philippine government. After
received the news, the Philippines first dispatched a patrol ship and a Mustang reconnaissance aircraft numbered "CSZ11" to the waters of Mischief Reef for public reconnaissance. confirmed that there were indeed Chinese buildings on Mischief Reef. .
The "CSZ11" Mustang reconnaissance aircraft dispatched by the Philippines
On February 8, 1995, Philippine President Ramos made a speech on the matter and protested against the presence of Chinese warships at Mischief Reef.
Subsequently, the Philippine government organized a total of 39 domestic and foreign journalists to board the USS Benguet, intending to forcefully go to Mischief Reef for so-called "on-the-spot interviews."
Philippine warship
The Chinese government knows that this is a conspiracy designed by the Philippine government to intensify conflicts and attract international attention. These 39 so-called journalists must not enter Mischief Reef.
However, at this time, there was only one 300-ton "China Yuzheng No. 34" ship in the waters near Mischief Reef. The defense force was so weak, which shows that the Philippines' reaction was indeed underestimated.
At the critical moment, we can only order the "China Fishery Administration No. 34" ship: No matter what method we use, we must intercept the warship of these 39 reporters.
All the crew members on the Yuzheng 34 understand the importance of this mission. From top to bottom, they repeat one sentence in their hearts: "The people are here, the ship is there, the reef is there, and the flag is there."
Philippine Navy pilot The USS Benguet, a fully loaded warship with a displacement of 4,000 tons, rushed towards Mischief Reef.
Due to the huge disparity in strength between the two sides, the commander of the Yuzheng No. 34 ship discussed with the captain and decided to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the Philippine ship Benguet, although such a strategy was likely to result in the destruction of the ship and the loss of lives.
All the crew members of the Yuzheng No. 34 resolutely agreed to the strategy of dealing with the Benguet closely, knowing that they might be sacrificed.
Several cannons on the Philippine frigate were aimed at the Yuzheng 34 ship, but Nansha Naval Battle China decisively counterattacked Vietnam , so the Philippines did not dare to fire this shot first.
With the joint efforts of all the crew members, the experienced captain and commander relied on their many years of sailing experience at sea to deal with the Benguet for nearly seven hours, successfully completing the task and escaping. The closest distance between the two ships was only 150 meters.
In the first Mischief Reef incident, the fishery authorities faced off with the Philippines for 75 days. In 1998, the Philippines once again provoked the second "Mischief Reef Incident". In 2013, it filed the absurd "South China Sea Arbitration Case" until Mischief Reef. Gorgeously transformed into the largest island in Nansha.
Aerial photo of Mischief Island in March 2022
Aerial photo of Mischief Island in March 2022
Aerial photo of Mischief Island in March 2022
The Philippines has never gotten any benefits in the direction of Mischief Reef, but the Philippines has not given up. It chose to retaliate against China at Banyue Reef, which is closer to the Philippines.
Location map of Banyue Reef
Banyue Reef retaliated against China three times
China actually controls Banyue Reef
According to Data from the Nanhai District Fishery Administration Bureau of the Ministry of Agriculture: From 1989 to 2010, neighboring countries attacked, robbed, captured, and shot in the Nansha waters. There have been more than 380 incidents involving Chinese fishing boats and fishermen, involving more than 750 fishing boats and 11,300 fishermen.
Among them, 25 fishermen were killed or disappeared, 24 fishermen were injured, and more than 800 fishermen were arrested and sentenced.
Few people know that almost all the vicious incidents of killing and injuring fishermen are related to Banyue Reef.
Half Moon Reef is located in the southeast of the Nansha Islands, close to the Philippines. It is developed on the Nansha steps with a water depth of 1400-1600 meters. It is shaped like a half moon, approximately rhombus, and a skewed quadrilateral.
Satellite image of Half Moon Reef
Half Moon Reef is a quasi-closed dry-out atoll. The size of the reef plate is similar to that of Subi Reef. The top area of the reef is 13.5 square kilometers. When dry-out, it is 10.98 square kilometers. The area of the reef flat that is easy to be reclaimed is 6.55 square kilometers.
There are three large reefs exposed on the northeastern reef flat of Banyuejiao, which are more than 2 meters above the reef flat. They were transported by storm surges against the reef edge. Therefore, Banyuejiao enjoys a 12-nautical-mile territorial sea and a 12-nautical-mile contiguous zone.
Scaled satellite images of Half Moon Reef and Subi Reef reef plate
Chinese expedition team inspected Half Moon Reef
Half Moon Reef lagoon covers an area of about 10 square kilometers, with an average water depth of 27 meters and a maximum depth of 45 meters. The bottom of the lake has a relatively flat terrain with undulating height differences. With only 3 to 5 meters, it can be built into a port that can accommodate multiple large ships.
Half Moon Reef is located at the intersection of Nanhua Waterway and Nansha Trough, guarding the east entrance of Nanhua Waterway. To the east is the Nansha Trough, which is more than 110 kilometers wide, facing Palawan Island in the Philippines. The southeast is also a waterway in and out of the Pacific Ocean and Australia. , of great strategic value.
Banyuejiao location map
Banyuejiao lagoon is well shielded, and there is an entrance for fishing boats to enter. The waters are calm, rich in fishery resources, and have good anchorages and natural shelters. It is a rare natural fishing ground in Nansha and One of the main fishing bases for Chinese fishermen.
The above factors have made Half Moon Reef the Philippines’ first choice for retaliation against China. Since China’s actual control of Mischief Reef and its subsequent construction, the Philippines has taken extreme actions on Half Moon Reef three times to retaliate against China.
A retaliation: bombing China's survey signs
On March 23, 1995, in retaliation for China's construction of stilt houses on Mischief Reef , the Philippines bombed Wufang Reef , Half Moon Reef, Xianbin Reef and set up surveys. logo.
At the same time, the navy, with the support of air force aircraft, suddenly attacked four Chinese fishing boats docked near Banyue Reef and detained 62 Tanmen fishermen on board .
The 62 Tanmen fishermen who were arrested were illegally detained by the Philippine authorities and imprisoned for more than 10 months.
The Philippine authorities asked them to sign a prepared document acknowledging that they had entered Philippine territorial waters, and told them that as long as they signed, they would be allowed to return home to reunite with their families.
None of the captured fishermen signed a signature. A captain named Mai Yunxiu not only firmly refused, but also wrote a poem to express his love for the motherland.
China's logo was bombed at Xianbin Reef
Second revenge: armed ships captured Chinese fishing boats
May 6, 2014, on the occasion of large-scale island building in Nansha, China.
Two fishing boats operating on Banyue Reef in Nansha were captured by armed Philippine ships. One fishing boat successfully evacuated, while the other fishing boat and 11 fishermen were detained.
According to the captured crew members Li Xianghui and He Zhuang recalled: "We thought we encountered pirates."
Li Xianghui recalled the scene when he was arrested: On May 6, he was operating on Banyue Reef in Nansha when he saw a small Philippine boat from a distance. A fishing boat appeared. There were seven or eight people on the boat. They all covered their heads with hoods, leaving only two eyes exposed. After getting close, they suddenly took out the submachine gun and shot into the air, and then aimed the gun. Thinking they had encountered pirates, they fled in all directions on the boat, and two fishermen jumped into the sea to survive.
Chinese fishermen have been battling wits with the Philippine Coast Guard for a long time, and have summarized their rich experience. In the past, the Philippines always wore uniforms and drove military police boats to arrest fishermen. But this time, the Philippine Coast Guard disguised themselves as Chinese fishing boats to arrest fishermen. Catching makes people hard to guard against.
After being caught, the fishermen were locked up in a small cell with no bed and could only sleep on cement slabs.
Only two boxes of very small canned fish, a bowl of rice and tap water are provided to each person every day, which is not enough to eat at all.
Seventy-eight people took turns guarding the prison outside the prison. Due to the language barrier, it was impossible to communicate with the military police. The Philippine military police sometimes gestured with their hands and used gun points to intimidate, and even followed them with guns while urinating.
They squatted on the ground and spoke little. The only words they had to say were to encourage each other and believed that the government would be able to take various measures to protect fishermen.
After the incident broke out, the Chinese Coast Guard immediately rushed to the sea area where the incident occurred. Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Hua Chunying emphasized: China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Half Moon Reef, and its adjacent waters. China requires The Philippines gave a reasonable explanation for this and immediately released the people and the ship.
succumbed to the tremendous pressure exerted by China, the fisherman was released after nine days.
The judge ordered the guards to remove the fishermen's handcuffs and then asked them to read out the charges. They were asked if they understood the charges and asked one by one if they pleaded guilty. The crew members all replied no.
The Chinese fishermen who were captured and released
retaliated three times: the warship was stranded on Half Moon Reef
The stranding of warships was used to actually control China's islands and reefs. The Philippines had previously implemented this on Ren'ai Reef and was successful. Philippine senior officials later admitted that the stranding was Ren'ai Reef is in retaliation for China's third-generation "military architecture" construction on Mischief Reef.
Philippine patrol ship stranded on Ren'ai Reef
On August 29, 2018, the Philippine military suddenly announced that the Philippine Navy patrol ship "Del Pilar" had "inadvertently" performed a "routine patrol mission" in the waters near Half Moon Reef in the Nansha Islands. Stranded in the shallows.
"Del Pilar" is the Philippines' main battleship with the largest displacement. It was originally the US Coast Guard "Hamilton" class patrol ship , with a full load displacement of nearly 4,000 tons.
Philippine Navy warship "Del Pilar"
Having learned the lesson of Second Thomas Shoal, after learning that the Philippine warship was stranded, China acted quickly and sent many ships to Half Moon Reef. For a while, many Chinese ships "watched" the stranding. The Philippine patrol ship suddenly doubled the pressure on the Philippines!
What's even more amazing is that China's rescue team happens to be nearby, including China's large-scale "Nanhai Rescue 115" ocean-going rescue tugboat. China shouted to the Philippines: " The Chinese rescue team is nearby. It has rich experience in shallow water rescue and can be used at any time. provide help".
"Nanhai Rescue 115" large ocean rescue tugboat
On September 4, 2018, the Philippine military announced to the outside world that it had promptly notified China about the stranded warship: To avoid any misunderstanding between the two sides, warships have been dispatched from the country. On the evening of September 3, the stranded warship was successfully towed out of the shoal.
This silent confrontation came to an end. Through this confrontation, China easily gave up the Philippines' attempt to get involved in Half Moon Reef!
Although China does not station a garrison, it has actually controlled Banyue Reef a long time ago.
The map of Vietnam in 2011 shows 13 islands and reefs actually controlled by China in the Nansha area: Yongshu Reef, Nanxun Reef, Chigua Reef, Dongmen Reef, Subi Reef, Huayang Reef, Mischief Reef, Taiping Island , Ximen Reef , Oxbow Reef , Anda Reef , Xinyi Reef and Banyue Reef.
Since Banyue Reef is within easy reach of the Philippines, the Philippines thought it could get a bargain. Unexpectedly, the three retaliatory measures greatly increased China's emphasis on Banyue Reef and objectively strengthened China's control over Banyue Reef.
If we are provocative, it is unknown whether Half Moon Reef will be built into Half Moon Island like Subi Reef.
Banyuedao island planning plan
[Some pictures are from the Internet, please contact us for deletion if there is any infringement]
