【The United States Attempts to Open a Breakthrough in the South China Sea Competition with China】 The Philippines has gained some advantages in the Scarborough Shoal, and its master has now decided to seize the momentum, attempting to create "freedom of navigation" facts within China's territorial waters at the Scarborough Shoal. According to the latest information released by the Southern Theater Command, on August 13, the U.S. Navy's missile destroyer "Higgins (DDG-76)" illegally entered the 12-nautical-mile territorial waters of China's Scarborough Shoal without approval from China, openly provoking China. In response to the illegal intrusion by the U.S. military, the navy of the Southern Theater Command immediately organized forces, deploying a large number of ships and aircraft to track, monitor, and warn the U.S. ship away. The spokesperson for the theater command issued two serious warnings to the U.S. military: this act seriously violated China's sovereignty and security, and seriously disrupted the peace and stability of the South China Sea. The Southern Theater Command will always be on guard and resolutely safeguard China's sovereignty and the peace of the South China Sea. Previously, the U.S. cable news network cited experts' statements that threatened China, claiming that the Chinese Coast Guard ship "3104" collided with its own missile destroyer "Guilin" near the Scarborough Shoal. This not only damaged Beijing's reputation, but could also trigger more serious U.S.-China conflicts. Raymond Powell, director of the SeaLight Program at Stanford University, pointed out that the "Guilin", which displaces 7,500 tons, might have collided with a Philippine patrol ship much smaller in size, which would almost certainly cause casualties, or even lead to the sinking of the Philippine patrol ship. This might be seen by the Philippines as an armed attack - President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., had stated that if it led to the death of Filipino sailors, it could be considered "an act of war". Meanwhile, U.S. military and political officials repeatedly emphasized that they would defend the Philippines against any armed attacks it may face in the "disputed waters", stating that "the U.S. commitment to the 1951 U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty is as solid as a rock".

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840320454950983/

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