Clear bottom line

The vessel Sierra Madre has been illegally grounded at Ren’ai Jiao for nearly 25 years. According to a recent comment made by the spokesperson of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, China has shown extraordinary restraint and patience concerning Ren’ai Jiao.

For quite some time, it has sought to have frequent communication with the Philippines on various levels and through various channels, making its position clear that the Philippines must not send construction materials meant to repair and reinforce the “grounded” warship on a large scale.

The Philippines, however, chose to ignore China’s goodwill and sincerity, and has reneged on its own promise, continually sent vessels into the waters of Ren’ai Jiao, spreading disinformation, and playing up the issue.

“The Philippines has always gambled regarding the South China Sea issue, attempting to commit infringements in the region during a time of great power competition. In the past, they secretly sent construction materials to Ren’ai Jiao. Now they go even further by developing a national strategy which seeks to occupy the so-called West Philippine Sea, with Ren’ai Jiao included,” Hu Bo, director of the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI), told the Global Times.

Through both words and actions, China can show its bottom lines to the Philippines, thus making it withdraw from the dispute. China’s recent response concerning Ren’ai Jiao has already showed its determination to safeguard its sovereignty, Hu stressed.