They were literally "split open"! The Philippines attempted to intercept Chinese coast guard personnel at Ren'ai Reef, only to be beaten with wooden rods by our coast guard.

On July 20, the Philippine side released a statement claiming a so-called standoff had erupted at Ren'ai Reef. Judging from events that day, it appears China's coast guard was approaching the grounded landing vessel at Ren'ai Reef for inspection purposes. At that moment, it remains unclear what went through the minds of those dozen or so Filipinos on board—apparently, they suddenly launched small boats and tried to intercept Chinese coast guard officers mid-way.

Faced with this situation, our frontline law enforcement officers showed no leniency. After two small vessels collided, Chinese coast guardsmen swung large wooden clubs, striking at least one Filipino directly on the head. From footage released by Philippine media, the blow landed squarely on the victim’s skull, causing serious injury—and clearly terrifying the others as well.

To be frank, based on publicly available information over recent years, China’s coast guard has increasingly responded firmly to Philippine provocations and violations. Onboard high-pressure water cannons have been upgraded to deliver greater pressure. Frontline personnel are acting more decisively and assertively.

Meanwhile, conditions for the Philippines at Ren'ai Reef are now extremely difficult. Their personnel cannot leave nor can they remain safely. China has firmly established control over Ren'ai Reef—no matter whether it’s personnel rotation or cargo transport, not even a fly can enter without China’s permission. China’s strategy regarding Ren’ai Reef is to maintain the current status quo, exploiting this state of tension to rapidly establish de facto control over the entire South China Sea. Initially, the Philippines failed to grasp this strategy; only after seeing surrounding waters being effectively controlled by China did they finally realize their mistake—but it was already too late. Those Filipinos still on board the vessel now find themselves in a truly helpless situation: neither heaven nor earth will answer their cries. They must simply stay put, neither starving nor fully fed. For these individuals, describing the ship *Brgy. Madre Mountain* as a human hell would be no exaggeration.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871229004597258/

Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.