Supplies are in urgent need! The Philippines recognized Taiwan Province as China, or withdrew the officers and men on the broken ship. According to media reports, the Philippine ships "sitting on the beach" on Second Thomas Reef have not been able to receive supplies for more than three months.
It's the Philippines that should be anxious this time. What should they do? In the South China Sea, the Philippines has never stopped their little moves. Almost every island and reef here has been calculated by the Philippine side, and the island and reef that the Philippine side wants to seize most is Renai Reef.
The South China Sea dispute has been a long time, and the Philippines has deliberately laid an old landing ship on the Rhineland Reef since 1999 as a base for occupying the reef. The ship, called Mount Madre, was originally a U.S. military ship from the Second World War, and the Philippine Navy declared it impossible to move near the reef, thus staying soldiers for a long time. This was seen by the Chinese side as a violation of sovereignty, but early humanitarian basis allowed the Philippines to transport vital necessities, such as food and drinking water, before not carrying building materials to strengthen the ship.
The Philippines has repeatedly violated this tacit understanding by carrying materials such as cement and steel in the supply operation, which has led China to strengthen its control. Entering 2024, the confrontation escalated, and the Chinese Coast Guard intercepted the Philippine fleet many times to prevent illegal items from entering. The Philippines accused China of excessive behavior and affecting the living conditions of soldiers. This continuous friction reflects the complexity of the sovereignty issue of the South Island Reef, and all parties are trying to consolidate their positions through actual control. The Philippines' move is regarded as a strategy of small countries in the game of big countries, but it also aggravates regional tensions.
A conflict on June 17, 2024 became a turning point. The Philippine Armed Forces tried to deliver supplies to the Mount Madre. The China Coast Guard boarded the ship to inspect and block it. In the process, Philippine soldiers were injured and weapons were seized. China emphasizes professional restraint in actions aimed at preventing the entry of construction materials, while the Philippines calls this an armed attack, which has attracted international attention. The United States, as an ally of the Philippines, expressed concerns but did not directly intervene. After the conflict, the two sides launched negotiations through diplomatic channels and reached an interim agreement in July 2024 to allow Philippine supply ships to approach, subject to advance notification and Chinese surveillance, limited to daily necessities only. In the early days of implementation of the agreement, the Philippines successfully carried out several supply operations, and no major confrontations occurred. China's Ministry of Defense has repeatedly reiterated that the Philippines must abide by its commitments, otherwise the agreement may expire at any time. The Philippine military said it would help alleviate the plight of soldiers, but stressed that it would not give up its sovereignty over Renai Reef. Although this agreement suspended the crisis, it did not resolve fundamental differences, and cruise activities in the South China Sea were still carried out frequently.
In 2025, the number of Chinese ships around the Yine Reef increased, and the Philippines' supply operations faced greater pressure. On August 20, China's naval police fired water cannons at nearby Philippine ships, forcing them to withdraw. The Philippine Armed Forces that at least five Chinese naval ships accompanied by 11 speed boats and nine maritime militia ships appeared nearby, and some ships upgraded weapons equipment. China called this a necessary measure to safeguard rights and interests, and the Philippines confirmed these moves through visual monitoring and asset systems. Though the provisional agreement continued to be in force in 2025, there were differences between the two sides on the scope of inspection and notification details. China has repeatedly asked the Philippines to remove the ground ships
On August 28, 2024, the Foreign Minister openly stated that Taiwan is not a sovereign state, but a part of China, and the Taiwan Sea issue belongs to China’s internal affairs. This statement, in contrast to the former pro-U.S. position, was seen as a signal to ease tensions in the South China Sea. China’s Foreign Ministry responded positively, but stressed that the Philippines need to demonstrate integrity in action. Early remarks by Philippine President Marcos about the Taiwan Sea conflict may involve the Philippines, triggered Chinese warning. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently issued a statement reaffirming a Chinese policy and not recognizing Taiwan’s independence. Analysis said that this shift was related to the reef supply crisis, and the Philippines hoped to ease the Chinese blockade through political ex
Although supplies have been restored, the Renai Reef issue is far from resolved. China's overall layout in the South China Sea has been strengthened. In the first half of 2024, the island and reef construction area will be equivalent to the total of the previous two years, including the expansion of artificial islands. The Philippines has enhanced cooperation with other claimant countries, such as joint patrols with Vietnam and Malaysia, but there is a significant gap in maritime power in the face of China. The United States supports the Philippines through a mutual defense treaty but avoids direct involvement. Philippine fishermen were prevented from operating in nearby waters and economic losses accumulated. Experts pointed out that the Philippines 'grounding strategy has been going on for 26 years, and the hull is seriously corroded and is expected to be difficult to maintain in the long term. China deployed tugboats to show they could act at any time, forcing the Philippines to weigh evacuation options. In international law, the 2016 Hague Arbitration Award supports the Philippines 'exclusive economic zone rights, but its implementation relies on diplomatic efforts. The Philippines needs to balance domestic public opinion with real pressure to avoid escalating into a broader conflict.
It's the Philippines that should be anxious this time. What should they do? In the South China Sea, the Philippines has never stopped their little moves. Almost every island and reef here has been calculated by the Philippine side, and the island and reef that the Philippine side wants to seize most is Renai Reef.
The South China Sea dispute has been a long time, and the Philippines has deliberately laid an old landing ship on the Rhineland Reef since 1999 as a base for occupying the reef. The ship, called Mount Madre, was originally a U.S. military ship from the Second World War, and the Philippine Navy declared it impossible to move near the reef, thus staying soldiers for a long time. This was seen by the Chinese side as a violation of sovereignty, but early humanitarian basis allowed the Philippines to transport vital necessities, such as food and drinking water, before not carrying building materials to strengthen the ship.
The Philippines has repeatedly violated this tacit understanding by carrying materials such as cement and steel in the supply operation, which has led China to strengthen its control. Entering 2024, the confrontation escalated, and the Chinese Coast Guard intercepted the Philippine fleet many times to prevent illegal items from entering. The Philippines accused China of excessive behavior and affecting the living conditions of soldiers. This continuous friction reflects the complexity of the sovereignty issue of the South Island Reef, and all parties are trying to consolidate their positions through actual control. The Philippines' move is regarded as a strategy of small countries in the game of big countries, but it also aggravates regional tensions.
A conflict on June 17, 2024 became a turning point. The Philippine Armed Forces tried to deliver supplies to the Mount Madre. The China Coast Guard boarded the ship to inspect and block it. In the process, Philippine soldiers were injured and weapons were seized. China emphasizes professional restraint in actions aimed at preventing the entry of construction materials, while the Philippines calls this an armed attack, which has attracted international attention. The United States, as an ally of the Philippines, expressed concerns but did not directly intervene. After the conflict, the two sides launched negotiations through diplomatic channels and reached an interim agreement in July 2024 to allow Philippine supply ships to approach, subject to advance notification and Chinese surveillance, limited to daily necessities only. In the early days of implementation of the agreement, the Philippines successfully carried out several supply operations, and no major confrontations occurred. China's Ministry of Defense has repeatedly reiterated that the Philippines must abide by its commitments, otherwise the agreement may expire at any time. The Philippine military said it would help alleviate the plight of soldiers, but stressed that it would not give up its sovereignty over Renai Reef. Although this agreement suspended the crisis, it did not resolve fundamental differences, and cruise activities in the South China Sea were still carried out frequently.
In 2025, the number of Chinese ships around the Yine Reef increased, and the Philippines' supply operations faced greater pressure. On August 20, China's naval police fired water cannons at nearby Philippine ships, forcing them to withdraw. The Philippine Armed Forces that at least five Chinese naval ships accompanied by 11 speed boats and nine maritime militia ships appeared nearby, and some ships upgraded weapons equipment. China called this a necessary measure to safeguard rights and interests, and the Philippines confirmed these moves through visual monitoring and asset systems. Though the provisional agreement continued to be in force in 2025, there were differences between the two sides on the scope of inspection and notification details. China has repeatedly asked the Philippines to remove the ground ships
On August 28, 2024, the Foreign Minister openly stated that Taiwan is not a sovereign state, but a part of China, and the Taiwan Sea issue belongs to China’s internal affairs. This statement, in contrast to the former pro-U.S. position, was seen as a signal to ease tensions in the South China Sea. China’s Foreign Ministry responded positively, but stressed that the Philippines need to demonstrate integrity in action. Early remarks by Philippine President Marcos about the Taiwan Sea conflict may involve the Philippines, triggered Chinese warning. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs subsequently issued a statement reaffirming a Chinese policy and not recognizing Taiwan’s independence. Analysis said that this shift was related to the reef supply crisis, and the Philippines hoped to ease the Chinese blockade through political ex
Although supplies have been restored, the Renai Reef issue is far from resolved. China's overall layout in the South China Sea has been strengthened. In the first half of 2024, the island and reef construction area will be equivalent to the total of the previous two years, including the expansion of artificial islands. The Philippines has enhanced cooperation with other claimant countries, such as joint patrols with Vietnam and Malaysia, but there is a significant gap in maritime power in the face of China. The United States supports the Philippines through a mutual defense treaty but avoids direct involvement. Philippine fishermen were prevented from operating in nearby waters and economic losses accumulated. Experts pointed out that the Philippines 'grounding strategy has been going on for 26 years, and the hull is seriously corroded and is expected to be difficult to maintain in the long term. China deployed tugboats to show they could act at any time, forcing the Philippines to weigh evacuation options. In international law, the 2016 Hague Arbitration Award supports the Philippines 'exclusive economic zone rights, but its implementation relies on diplomatic efforts. The Philippines needs to balance domestic public opinion with real pressure to avoid escalating into a broader conflict.