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[Text/Observer Network Wang Kaiwen] After the US State Department "expressed support" for the Philippines over the collision incident at Xianbin Reef, the White House also came out to support its ally.

On August 20th local time, US National Security Advisor Sullivan and Philippine National Security Advisor Eduardo Año had a phone call. In addition to "condemning" China for the relevant incident, the two also discussed the US military aid to the Philippines recently announced.

As the United States continues to add fuel to the flames, the Philippines, which has frequently provoked in the South China Sea, has again called for a "peaceful resolution of the dispute." Philippine Navy spokesman Trinidad said on the 20th that he did not think the collision at the Semper Reef would become a new "flashpoint" between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea.

Last month, China reached a temporary arrangement with the Philippines on the management of the situation at Ren'ai Reef. Both sides agreed to jointly manage maritime differences and promote the cooling of the situation in the South China Sea. Lopez, spokesman for the Philippine National Maritime Commission, said on the 20th that the Philippines is "seriously studying" whether to expand the arrangement reached with China on Ren'ai Reef to other areas in the South China Sea.

On August 19, despite repeated dissuasion and warnings from China, the Philippines insisted on sending Coast Guard Ships 4410 and 4411 to illegally enter the waters near Xianbin Reef in China's Nansha Islands. During the period, the Philippine Coast Guard Ship 4410 deliberately rammed a Chinese Coast Guard ship that was normally safeguarding rights and enforcing the law, and then illegally entered the waters near Ren'ai Reef in China's Nansha Islands. The Chinese Coast Guard monitored and effectively controlled the Philippine ships in accordance with the law.

According to the call record released on the White House website, Sullivan and Arnold discussed the "historic momentum of the U.S.-Philippines alliance" on the 20th, including the Philippines' ability to obtain $500 million in U.S. foreign military financing under the U.S. Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024.

The two countries announced the above cooperation during the fourth US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue on July 30 this year. The aid is aimed at helping the Philippine Armed Forces and Coast Guard to modernize. US Secretary of Defense Austin claimed at the time: "This level of funding is unprecedented." Sullivan and Arnold discussed this "additional security assistance in a call on August 20 to strengthen US-Philippines cooperation in supporting international maritime law in the South China Sea."

According to the call records, Sullivan also "condemned" China for "deliberately colliding" two Philippine Coast Guard ships that were "lawfully operating" in the so-called Philippine exclusive economic zone on August 19, and reiterated the United States' "firm commitment" to the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

In the past two days, the Philippines has also made intensive statements. In addition to reaffirming its so-called "sovereignty" over the relevant region, there have also been voices expressing unwillingness to escalate the conflict.

According to reports from the Philippine Daily Tribune and the Philippine Daily Inquirer, Philippine Navy spokesman Trinidad said on the 20th that this was the first such incident in Xianbin Reef recently, and the Philippine Navy did not believe that this incident would become a new "flashpoint" between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea.

On the same day, Philippine National Maritime Commission spokesman Lopez claimed that the Philippines will continue to be committed to maintaining its so-called "jurisdiction" over the "West Philippine Sea." But he also said that the Philippines will insist on resolving disputes peacefully through "diplomatic means."

Lopez also said the Philippines is "seriously studying" expanding the recent arrangement with China over the Second Thomas Shoal to other parts of the South China Sea. "We leave this to the Foreign Affairs Department because they are the primary agency that handles this matter."

After the Philippine Coast Guard ship intruded into the Xianbin Reef, the US State Department was eager to "support" its allies and accuse China. In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the Philippines pointed out that on the day of the incident, the US State Department issued a statement, and the embassies of the United States and some of its allies in the Philippines also jumped out to take sides and speak out. The motives behind their "impatient" and "coherent" performance cannot but be questioned.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning reiterated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' regular press conference on August 20 that the Philippines was the first to infringe rights, and China's adoption of rights protection measures in accordance with the law is aimed at safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. This is legitimate and legal and beyond reproach.

Mao Ning stressed that the United States is not a party to the South China Sea issue and has no right to intervene in maritime issues between China and the Philippines, let alone use the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty as an excuse to infringe on China's sovereignty and rights in the South China Sea. The United States should stop provoking confrontation in the South China Sea, and stop undermining regional stability and exacerbating tensions.

Chen Xiangmiao, a columnist for Observer.com and deputy director of the Institute of Marine Sciences of the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, previously wrote that the Philippines and the United States are working together to create a "black hole" in the South China Sea. This "black hole" has not only further intensified the differences and contradictions between China and the Philippines over maritime disputes, but has also had a devouring effect on China-Philippines relations, the South China Sea situation, China-US relations, and China's bilateral relations with some countries outside the South China Sea region.

Chen Xiangmiao believes that it is not impossible to escape the "black hole" of the South China Sea. If the Philippines can abide by the consensus of the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" and the "gentleman's agreement" already reached between China and the Philippines, even if the differences and contradictions between the two countries in the South China Sea region cannot be completely resolved in the short term, it can avoid escalation of the situation and crises. Without the Philippines as a handle, the United States will lose its focus on intervening in the South China Sea issue.

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