Recently, the actions of the United States and the Philippines in the South China Sea issue have indeed garnered widespread attention.
The close interaction between the two parties and their accusations against China indicate their respective stances.
However, these actions are not merely about island grabbing but more about coercing China to accept specific demands through the threat of war.
Firstly, the cooperation between the United States and the Philippines is to some extent aimed at increasing pressure on China.
The Biden administration has explicitly stated that the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines applies to grounded military vessels, demonstrating U.S. support for the Philippines on the South China Sea issue.
President Duterte's threats are also a clear message to China, suggesting that if there are casualties on the Philippine side, the U.S. military will intervene.
Furthermore, the recent military exercises have further escalated tensions, with the exercise area even extending beyond the territorial waters of the Philippines.
These actions clearly demonstrate the intention of the United States and the Philippines to cooperate and hope to exert pressure on China to make concessions.
Secondly, the cooperation between the United States and the Philippines is also aimed at strengthening their own influence in the South China Sea region.
The Philippines is an important ally of the United States in Asia, and cooperation with the United States helps to enhance the Philippines' position and influence in the South China Sea region.
At the same time, challenging China can also be a means for the United States to strengthen its presence in the region.
However, for China, there are some response strategies to deal with the provocations from the United States and the Philippines, without necessarily resorting to drastic actions.
Firstly, China can strengthen its own strength in the South China Sea region by measures such as land reclamation near Huangyan Island.
Huangyan Island is strategically important for the Philippines, and China's increased control over the island can effectively counteract Philippine actions and make them accept reality.
Secondly, China can consider imposing economic sanctions on the Philippines to force it to change its stance towards China.
The Philippines' exports to China account for a significant proportion of its total exports, making the Philippines highly economically dependent on China.
Therefore, China has the ability to exert pressure on the Philippines through economic means, prompting it to adopt a more rational and pragmatic attitude on the South China Sea issue.
In summary, faced with provocations from the United States and the Philippines on the South China Sea issue, China has some effective response strategies to choose from.
By strengthening its own strength in the South China Sea region and imposing economic sanctions on the Philippines, China can effectively safeguard its national interests and make the Philippines realize the risks and costs of challenging China.
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