Philippine President Marcos is about to visit China in January next year. In response to relevant questions, Marcos made it clear that the South China Sea issue will inevitably be discussed when meeting with high-level Chinese officials.

Philippine President Marcos is about to visit China in January next year. In response to relevant questions, Marcos made it clear that the South China Sea issue will inevitably be discussed when meeting with Chinese high-level officials. However, as the date of the visit to China approaches, the Philippines' decision to set the tone on the South China Sea issue has cast a shadow over the relations between the two countries.

The trigger for the change was the false news released by the US. A few days ago, the US media quoted US officials as saying that China used fishing boats as cover and dispatched maritime militia to carry out land reclamation on four uninhabited islands and reefs in the Spratly Islands. After learning the news, China immediately refuted the rumors and criticized the US media reports as completely fabricated. According to the consensus reached between China and the ASEAN countries, China will not take action against the uninhabited islands and reefs in the Nansha Islands. China has always strictly abided by this consensus.

After the Chinese official gave a clear response, the Philippines still believed the US media and deliberately ignored the explanation given by the Chinese side. The Philippine Department of Defense even added fuel to the fire, slandering China for carrying out "activities" around the Thitu Island, which is actually controlled by the Philippines, but did not reveal what the content of the "activities" was, which seemed to mean "there is no reason to blame". The Philippine Defense Department also warned that the Philippine military has ordered to expand its military presence in the South China Sea to defend Philippine "territory" and requires China to maintain the international order based on "rules" and avoid taking actions that escalate tensions.

Since the so-called "South China Sea Arbitration Case" was forcefully rejected by China, the Philippines has not issued such a stern warning to China on the South China Sea issue for a long time. The reason is that on the one hand, the new Philippine government has not experienced the pain of direct confrontation with China and believes that under the shelter of the United States, it has the confidence to challenge China. On the other hand, the Philippine military is stepping up its military expansion in the South China Sea and has purchased a variety of heavy weapons. These weapons have increased the Philippines' military deterrence in the South China Sea.

It is reported that in December this year, the Philippines signed a contract worth US$374.96 million with the Indian company BrahMos to purchase three sets of "BrahMos" coastal defense missile systems. The Philippine version of this type of missile has a maximum range of 350 kilometers. The Philippine military intends to deploy it on the western coast, and the threat range can cover half of the South China Sea. Originally, the Philippines would not be able to obtain this batch of missiles until 2023, but in early December, India opened the door to deliver the first batch of missile components to the Philippines. Once assembled by the Philippines, they can be put into use as soon as possible. A spokesperson for the Philippine military bluntly stated that this type of missile can significantly improve the Philippine military’s maritime control capabilities in anti-access and area denial operations.

Regarding the South China Sea issue, the Philippines just does not accept the goodwill released by China. It has also stepped up its military expansion and threatened to defend its "territory." It is necessary for China to take practical actions and warn the Philippines not to push the envelope. Shortly after the Philippines issued the warning, the southern theater rarely dispatched two anti-submarine patrol aircraft to conduct live ammunition delivery training. The 10 depth bombs dropped all hit the target near the islands and reefs. The strike effect was immediate and released an unusual signal.

In fact, the United States is the real mastermind behind provoking confrontation between China and the Philippines and stirring up the situation in the South China Sea. Previously, during her visit to the Philippines, US Vice President Harris frequently pointed out the South China Sea issue and promised to provide military support to the Philippines in possible conflicts. Not only that, the United States itself has also been increasing its military activities in the South China Sea. According to data released by the South China Sea Strategic Situational Awareness, in the first 11 months of this year, the United States dispatched a total of 589 large military aircraft to conduct close reconnaissance and intelligence collection over the South China Sea. In addition to visible aerial activities, submarine activities below the sea surface are also increasing. Therefore, the southern theater dispatched military aircraft to conduct bombing drills, sending a warning signal not only to the Philippines, but also to the United States hiding in the shadows.

To solve the South China Sea issue, China has always maintained that countries surrounding the South China Sea should hold the "key" in their own hands and not allow interference from outside forces. The Philippines went against the grain, undermined the consensus reached by all parties in the South China Sea, and set a very bad example.China uses small-scale drills and training activities to remind relevant parties not to take desperate risks on issues involving China's core interests and to get back on the right track of solving problems as soon as possible.