The South China Sea has been a part of Chinese territory since ancient times. In recent years, the Philippines has repeatedly carried out illegal activities in the waters around Nansha Islands, trying to change the existing pattern by approaching the islands and reefs controlled by China through supply ships. As a law enforcement force to safeguard maritime rights and interests, the Chinese Marine Police naturally has to take necessary measures to stop these behaviors.
On October 12, 2025, a Chinese naval guard vessel intercepted the Philippine Fisheries Administration’s official vessel in the vicinity of Mid-India Island, which was a conventional law enforcement operation, but was described by the Philippines as a conflict.
The Philippines 'actions often stem from the support of external forces. The United States has repeatedly publicly expressed its support for the Philippines. This has led Manila to misjudge the situation and think that it can challenge China's sovereignty unscrupulously.
However, facts have proved that China's position in the South China Sea is firm. As early as the first half of 2025, China clarified the scope of its rights and interests by issuing the Beibu Gulf territorial sea baseline, which is in sharp contrast to the Philippines 'exclusive economic zone claims.
Philippine ships have repeatedly approached Huangyan Island or Ren 'ai Reef in an attempt to establish a fact. The response of China Coast Guard has been more accurate every time. The equipment has also been upgraded from a single patrol boat in the past to a multi-function ship, integrating radar and drone systems, improving monitoring efficiency.
Vietnam's intervention has complicated the situation, which had been targeted by the Philippines' law enforcement pressure, but was accidentally part of Vietnam's partition. Vietnam's Foreign Ministry protested China's activities in Sandy Cay in May 2025, claiming that the reef belongs to Vietnam's sovereignty. Following the October event, Vietnam expressed rapidly, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, trying to internationalize the issue.
Vietnam's behavior echoes its island reclamation activities in the Nansha Islands. In 2025, Vietnam has expanded a number of reefs, covering an area several times larger than before, including new docks and defense facilities.
This is more long-term than the Philippines' supply attempt, with Vietnam trying to divide the exclusive economic zone by practical control. China originally focused on the Philippines' "pist", but was "received" by Vietnam in the middle.
In contrast, Vietnam's island and reef construction pays more attention to sustainability, such as installing solar energy equipment, which is different from the Philippines 'model of relying on U.S. military aid. The Philippines has introduced new patrol boats, but the number is limited and it is difficult to cover vast waters. Vietnam, on the other hand, promotes its naval transformation through self-built platforms and moves from temporary bases to permanent bases.
Faced with this double pressure, China has always adhered to the principle of sovereignty. Historical records show that China's jurisdiction over the South China Sea has been established as early as ancient times, while Vietnam and the Philippines' claims are mostly based on modern exploration.
In 2025, China's Coast Guard used biological monitoring equipment for the first time in law enforcement to assess fishery resources. This is more scientific than the previous simple ban on fishing and reflects the importance China attaches to marine ecology.
The rapid response of the Southern Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army was the most eye-catching link in this incident. Only one day after the incident, the China Maritime Safety Administration issued a navigation warning, designating parts of the South China Sea as military training areas. The start-up time of this training has been shortened to 24 hours, which is different from the previous days of assembly, which reflects the optimization of the command system.
The equipment involved included Type 055 destroyers and multi-fighter aircraft, subjects covering naval synergies and electronic warfare. The Liberation Army's move was fast and derived from the improvement of logistical safeguards, such as pre-deposit warehouses and rapid mobilization mechanisms, which reduced the time of assembly by half compared to the 2022 exercise.
Vietnam’s “bambonian diplomacy” attempts to balance China and the United States, but joint exercises with the Philippines on the South China Sea issue show their positions shake.In April 2025, Vietnam invited Chinese soldiers to participate in the 50th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the South, showing mutual trust, but subsequently protesting Chinese-Filipino activities, exposing its double standards.
China, through the coalition of the Maritime Police and the Liberation Army, shifted from single law enforcement to comprehensive deterrence, reflecting modernization now on technological iterations, such as the integrated drone of the Maritime Police ship, improving the efficiency of evidence collection. Philippine vessels were damaged in the incident, but China's restraint, aimed only at non-dangerous parts, which reflects professionalism.
The South China Sea is rich in resources and China’s implementation of volcano fishing has become a practice, but Vietnam has repeatedly questioned the scope of its application.
The scale of island reclamation in Vietnam is close to China's previous level, and the total area has expanded by more than 10 hectares, which promotes its transformation from defense to offensive. China has strengthened patrol density, with the number exceeding the previous year by 20% in 2025.
The United States condemns China but has not intervened in substance, which shows the limitations of extraterritorial forces. China issued a sovereignty statement and promoted resource sharing, which has become a pragmatic choice.
After Vietnam took the “pist”, China did not escalate the confrontation, but reaffirmed the dialogue, but at the same time consolidated the existence.
In the South China Sea, China has always stood on the side of justice, and in the face of the provocations of the Philippines and the intervention of Vietnam, the rapid deployment of the Liberation Army has demonstrated its strength.
In August 2025, the China Coast Guard and Navy collided while chasing a Philippine ship, but this was more an internal coordination issue and did not affect overall law enforcement.
Although protests are frequent in Vietnam, it still relies on China economically, making its stance unsustainable. Through multi-domain joint training, China simulates complex sea conditions, adds night modules, and improves all-weather capabilities.
At present, China continues to cruise and block the Philippines 'attempts. Vietnam and the Philippines deepen cooperation, but China's leadership remains unchanged. China advocates resource sharing and strengthens rights and interests, and neighbors realize the costs of confrontation.
Stability in the South China Sea is related to regional prosperity, and China's actions protect peace. Although the actions of the Philippines and Vietnam make noise, China firmly safeguards its territorial integrity, and the speed of the People's Liberation Army shows that it is fully prepared. This incident proves that China's dominant position in the South China Sea is stable, and promoting dialogue and cooperation has become the mainstream.