According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), more than a hundred Chinese maritime militia boats have roamed Ayungin Shoal since late April. The BRP Sierra Madre is in the Ayungin Shoal area. We have soldiers on the decrepit ship. They are the ones who sacrifice to make sure that the said area is our territory. The Chinese have been itching to remove the said ship. There was an incident in April where a Chinese militia ship shadowed a PCG vessel with journalists onboard. The Chinese vessel twice in size dangerously sailed ship in front of BRP Malapascua. Clear intimidation. They said our ship did not have permission to sail to Ayungin. That's China, the bully of Asia.
President Bongbong Marcos Jr. does well to strengthen the relationship between the country and America. Far from the actions of former president Duterte, who did not hide his hatred for America, while embracing China. Marcos promised that China will not be allowed to trample on our maritime rights. Let’s hope so. The two countries agreed that if there is an incident between the PCG and Chinese ships, the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) will be triggered, and America will come to the aid of the country.
This is what annoys Beijing. It started with the addition of four areas to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA). Beijing did not like this because three of the areas are in Luzon, near Taiwan which is also an American ally. China has lately been intimidating Taiwan. This was followed by Marcos going to America on an official visit, where he met with President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin with the latter saying they have our back in the event of an incident in the South China Sea. According to Beijing, America is driving a wedge between the good relations of the Philippines and China. What good relationship?
China deploys a large number of maritime militias and coast guard ships, backed by a powerful military to claim and bully every vessel sailing the South China Sea. This current incident between our ships and the Chinese is not new, but the PCG said it was by far the closest and the most dangerous. It is not new that Chinese militia and coast guard deliberately sail in front of our ships. China even had the gall to accuse our ships of engaging in dangerous maneuvers. A collision between our ships may not be far from happening. If and when that happens, China may not like what comes next.