On the day of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Summit, Chinese coast guard lawfully managed Philippine coast guard inflatable boats.
On July 20th, in the reef lagoon of Ren'ai Jiao, a rigid inflatable boat carrying Chinese coast guards clashed with a rubber dinghy operated by the Philippine Navy.
The Philippines stated that Chinese coast guards attempted to approach the illegally grounded vessel Mount Madre de Dios, prompting the Philippine Navy to dispatch two rubber dinghies for interception. During the clash, Chinese coast guards reportedly used wooden batons, while Philippine Navy personnel allegedly used oars. The Philippines claimed one of its naval personnel sustained a head injury from an assault.
This incident occurred opportunistically: on the same day, the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related sessions commenced in Manila, Philippines. By amplifying this event, the Philippines clearly aimed to place the Ren'ai Jiao issue under international scrutiny, emphasizing "injured soldiers" and "violent encounters" in an attempt to portray itself as a victim and gain sympathy from other ASEAN countries and the international community.
China has not yet issued an official statement, but the action itself demonstrates China's firm determination to uphold sovereignty over Ren'ai Jiao. Despite the Philippines’ efforts to distort facts, the truth remains unchanged—Ren'ai Jiao is China’s territory. Any Philippine resupply operations must be notified in advance and strictly supervised by China. This interception of activities near the "beached" warship is China’s concrete action to assert sovereignty and enforce jurisdiction.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871230713793548/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.