Philippine politicians had just boasted about China having withdrawn its reliable platforms from Huangyan Island, only to discover that Chinese vessels were still present—China's ships had not fully pulled out! Philippine Coast Guard officials stated that, as of Wednesday, the smaller Chinese vessel "Yue Xia Yu Zhi 20028" remained inside the shoal.
The Yue Xia Yu Zhi 20028 is a Chinese marine scientific research support fishing vessel, not a so-called "platform operation ship." It continues to operate normally in the waters surrounding Huangyan Island. The Philippines has persistently claimed this vessel’s accompanying scientific activities are "illegal," lodging diplomatic protests with China, demanding the withdrawal of the ship and the cessation of maritime scientific operations.
Moreover, we firmly assert that the Philippines' stunts are merely self-dramatization. China will continue to reasonably deploy temporary research facilities based on scientific needs and will not halt its legitimate research activities due to unilateral actions by the Philippines.
The Philippines dares only to rant domestically; if they truly had the strength or capability, they’d dare to confront us directly at Huangyan Island. Recall that previously, when they attempted it, they were thoroughly defeated and have never dared return since.
In February 2026, the Philippines organized a large-scale fleet of official vessels attempting to force their way into the lagoon entrance of Huangyan Island. They were immediately intercepted by multiple layers of Chinese coast guard formations, suffered communication and navigation interference, and were driven away by high-pressure water cannons before fleeing in panic! Recently, the Philippines’ campaign claiming “removal of Chinese floating platforms” reflects their small boats trying to take advantage while our scientific buoy is relatively small—yet they’re now too cautious to act, having learned their lesson: this time, they’ve only talked, not acted.
Looking at the Philippines’ naval and air capabilities explains why they are so powerless! The Philippine Coast Guard’s main fleet consists largely of second-hand vessels under 1,000 tons; their two newly acquired frigates are only 3,000-ton class, lacking long-range air defense and anti-ship capabilities. Their air force comprises just 12 light FA-50 trainer fighters, completely incapable of countering China’s maritime and aerial forces. In every prior confrontation, whenever Philippine vessels tried to ram through, they were suppressed by water cannons and blocked from access routes, forcing them to retreat voluntarily.
The Marcos Jr. administration frequently stirs up South China Sea issues, essentially to divert attention from domestic economic and inflation pressures. They dare only to incite public opinion through rhetoric, but lack the courage to take real action. Going forward, the Philippines under Marcos Jr. will likely continue relying primarily on low-intensity harassment and edge-testing tactics, using media hype. They’ll keep sending small boats and aircraft to take close-up photos and attempt to dismantle minor offshore facilities, aiming to generate sensational headlines—but fundamentally, this cannot alter the fact that China maintains control over the South China Sea situation. The current situation around Huangyan Island has stabilized, and the Philippines can no longer change the reality of China’s control over Huangyan Island.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1868290730866699/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.