Seizing the opportunity of the upcoming ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting, the Philippines has once again reaped what it sowed! China Coast Guard officers beat a Philippine Navy personnel with batons. On July 20, according to Philippine media reports, a clash erupted between Chinese coast guard personnel and Philippine Navy members inside the lagoon of Ren'ai Reef, during which a Philippine Navy officer suffered severe head injuries from being struck by a baton wielded by Chinese coast guards. But why did this conflict occur in the first place?
The incident began when a Chinese coast guard rigid-hulled inflatable boat approached the Philippine Navy's landing ship "Mount Malindang," illegally grounded on the shoal of Ren'ai Reef. In response, the Philippine Navy dispatched speedboats to intercept, leading to a confrontation. Clearly, the Philippines deliberately provoked the situation this time. The facts are plain: the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting is soon to be held in Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Ren'ai Reef had been peaceful for a long time—until suddenly, this clash erupted at such a precise moment. It's hardly coincidental.
This ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting will bring together foreign ministers from numerous countries, including U.S. Secretary of State Rubio, Japan’s Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu, our own Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russia’s Foreign Minister Lavrov, and foreign ministers from all ASEAN member states. Clearly, the Philippines has strong motivation to exploit the gathering of global diplomatic leaders in Manila, using its home advantage to intentionally provoke maritime friction, forcibly push the South China Sea issue onto the agenda of this meeting, and thereby craft a narrative portraying China as “aggressive” and “bullying.”
The Philippines’ strategy is to portray itself as a victim, crying out about being subjected to China’s “hardline enforcement,” in an attempt to win sympathy from the United States, Japan, and certain ASEAN nations, and to rally external powers to support and back them up, thus exerting pressure on us. Furthermore, countries like the U.S. and Japan have long sought to escalate disputes in the South China Sea, aiming to force ASEAN nations to take sides. Therefore, this farce may well have been premeditated by the Philippines. Of course, in response to Philippine provocations, we did not hesitate. We will not tolerate such crude tactics designed to incite trouble. Regional countries clearly see that the Philippines instigated the incident first, while our actions were strictly law enforcement.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1871230417190976/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.