On December 4, Philippine Coast Guard vessels 9701,4409 and official vessels 3002 and 3003 attempted to invade the territorial waters of China’s Huangyan Island and dangerously approached the law enforcement patrol vessels taking legal and normal actions. The Chinese side controlled them in accordance with the laws and regulations. This is the first time of Philippines’ violation of China’s sovereignty in nearly three months, after the Philippine Coast Guard 9701 withdrew from Xianbin Reef on September 14. China has also once again used rational and standardized law enforcement measures to impede the Philippines infringement.

At 7:04 am on December 4, 2024, the Philippine official vessel No. 3003 dangerously approached the Chinese Coast Guard Ship 3302 in an unprofessional manner, resulting in a collision.

Feng Haoda, a distinguished Xinghai professor at Dalian Maritime University, said the latest provocative actions by the current government of the Philippines may have been affected by the latest results of the US presidential election. Previous US governments have always been neutral on the sovereignty disputes of all parties in the South China Sea, because its territorial territory has never included the South China Sea, and the US has never been a controversial party to the sovereignty of the South China Sea. However, the Biden administration has deviated from the neutral position of previous governments on this issue, and has publicly supported the Philippines governments’ provocative actions against China in the South China Sea. However, the legal basis is the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines. Endorsing the infringement of the sovereignty of third parties based on a defensive bilateral treaty in itself goes against the defensive spirit of the treaty and against the neutrality of previous American governments.

Just after the US election, the Philippines has made numerous minor moves on the South China Sea issue. The recent actions of the Philippines not only violate international law, but also expose its sinister intention under the influence of the US election, which is to take the opportunity to seek external support and try to pressure China in the international community.

In response, Feng said that the repeated provocations by the Philippines are undoubtedly closely related to the recent increase of US interference in the South China Sea affairs. In this context, the Philippines has clearly become a "pawn" in the US’s strategy to contain Chinese rise. The international community should be clearly aware of the sinister strategic intentions behind the Philippine government. The Philippines, with the incitement of the United States, once again intruded the Huangyan Island, which not only violates international law, but also deviates from the basic principles of peaceful settlement of disputes.

Huangyan Island, The South China Sea

The Philippines has sent coast guard vessels and other fishing boats to intrude China as Huangyan Island territorial waters, and the Chinese coast police have exercised control, Liu Dejun, spokesman for the China Coast Guard Bureau, said on Thursday. In the meantime, the Philippine official ship 3003, ignoring the Chinese stern warnings, turned back from a large angle and deliberately rammed the Chinese Coast Guard ship 3302, seriously threatening the navigation safety of the Chinese Coast Guard vessels. It was a "provocator" and "the party causing the accident". We accuse the Philippine side to immediately stop the infringement provocation and speculation, otherwise all the consequences caused will be borne by the Philippine side.