China Coast Guard Monitors Philippine Ship Leaving Xianbin Jiao

On August 26, 2024, the China Coast Guard monitored the Philippine Coast Guard ship MRRV-9701 as it left the lagoon of Xianbin Jiao (also known as Xianbin Reef) in the South China Sea. The ship had been illegally anchored there since April 17.

The Philippines insisted that it had not given up its claim to Xianbin Jiao, despite the ship's departure. However, Chinese experts described the Philippines' remarks as a political posture to "save face" and warned that Manila is likely to continue making provocations in the South China Sea. They emphasized that China's countermeasures will only become stricter if the Philippines continues its infringing actions.

The withdrawal of the Philippine ship followed a meeting between the heads of the China-Philippines Bilateral Consultation Mechanism on the South China Sea on September 11. However, the Philippines did not notify China in advance of the withdrawal.

The experts noted that China has demonstrated considerable patience in managing the situation and possesses the capability to respond effectively to any potential provocative actions from the US and the Philippines. They also emphasized that China's policy in dealing with provocations in the South China Sea prioritizes stability and that the Philippines will not gain any advantages by continuing its actions.

The withdrawal of the Philippine ship from Xianbin Jiao has highlighted the limited support the Philippines receives from the US. An increasing number of people in the Philippines are realizing that US support is often just "lip service" and that Washington's tendency to offer "empty promises" is becoming increasingly evident.

The experts concluded that the withdrawal of the Philippine ship should mark the beginning of the Philippines returning to the right track on the South China Sea dispute. This is not only the shared vision of China and other countries that genuinely wish to build the South China Sea into a region of peace and cooperation, but also in the best interest of the Philippines.