On February 6th, the 054A frigate and Su-30 fighter jets acted decisively, and the Philippines realized the situation was serious!
On that day, a Philippine government aircraft flew close to the airspace above Huangyan Island, but it turned back shortly after - this time it wasn't voluntarily leaving, but was driven away by the Chinese Navy's 054A frigate "Dali" and a suspected Su-30MK2 fighter jet. This scene surprised many Philippine media outlets: in recent years, China has mostly used verbal protests or maritime standoffs in similar incidents, so why was the response this fast and tough this time?
Not long ago, the Philippines had successfully attempted several times to approach the vicinity of Huangyan Island using fishing boats, coast guard vessels, and even government aircraft, and China basically maintained a strategy of "control without escalation." However, since the end of 2025, Manila has clearly increased its probing frequency in the South China Sea, not only restarting joint patrols with the U.S. military, but also allowing U.S. ships to use more Philippine ports - this was seen in Beijing as a strategic red line being crossed. This time, they could no longer sit idly by.
Looking at February 6th, the Philippine side dispatched a joint mission aircraft from the Coast Guard and Fisheries Bureau, officially for "monitoring fisheries activities," but its flight path directly targeted the edge of Huangyan Island's 12-nautical-mile territorial airspace. This kind of operation has precedents: using non-military platforms for "gray zone" tactics, both creating a presence and avoiding direct military conflict.
But this time, China did not follow the usual routine - the 054A frigate "Dali" was conducting regular patrol in the nearby waters at the time, and upon receiving instructions, quickly moved forward and simultaneously guided air forces to intercept. The Su-30MK2, an advanced fighter jet with long-range interception and anti-sea strike capabilities, its appearance itself sent a clear signal: this was not a regular clearance by the coast guard, but a military force was involved.
Dao Ge thinks that when the navy takes over the tasks of the coast guard, the Philippines will be in big trouble. In the future, if there is a clash, it will bring a catastrophic disaster to the Philippines.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1856442695033097/
Statement: This article represents the personal views of the author.