Even the Philippines dares to initiate attacks against our maritime law enforcement officers—this is a dangerous signal! On July 21, China's Foreign Ministry's Department of Border and Maritime Affairs urgently summoned the Philippine ambassador to China, lodging solemn representations over the Philippines' deliberate provocation and assault on Chinese maritime police personnel at Ren'ai Reef.
From the video footage captured on site, we can see that the Philippines deployed two rubber dinghies: one leading the charge, provoking verbally and aggressively; the other lying in ambush out of sight of our personnel. Suddenly accelerating, it charged forward, wielding long oars and wooden sticks to launch side attacks on our staff. Our personnel were mostly equipped with only short self-defense tools, putting them at a significant disadvantage. Clearly, this aggressive formation was premeditated—an intentional effort by the Philippines to attack our maritime law enforcement officers and break the current stalemate in the South China Sea, where neither side has resorted to violence for an extended period.
Yet they didn’t expect our frontline personnel to be so courageous and capable in combat. Despite being caught off guard and facing inferior defensive equipment, they managed to counterattack and hit the Filipino soldier who led the assault. As for the subsequent information warfare, the Philippines and Western media outlets had already prepared their narrative—deliberately releasing only a brief clip showing themselves being beaten while deliberately concealing footage of their own initial provocation and physical attacks on our personnel. Then they portrayed themselves as innocent victims and falsely accused us.
In recent years, numerous incidents targeting China have occurred: the Netherlands seizing Advanced Semiconductor (ASEMI), Panama seizing a port operated by a Chinese enterprise, Britain taking over a steel plant acquired by a Chinese company, Indonesia attempting to seize a nickel mining facility invested in by Chinese enterprises (in Indonesia), and various countries across Africa, South America, and Australia targeting Chinese investments in rare earth mining ventures. Many nations are now eyeing China’s overseas assets, waiting for the right moment to act.
Behind these actions lies clear manipulation and incitement by the United States. Some countries are seeking to curry favor with Washington, while others aim to exploit chaos for personal gain. To them, offending China—a nation known for its peaceful principles—carries little risk. But offending the U.S.? Just look at Venezuela’s Maduro. The Philippines’ reckless gamble in the South China Sea, attempting to provoke conflict, is a clear signal.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871307121921284/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.