Published Date: November 12, 2023, Author: Yuval Noah Harari
In recent days, some troubling things happened near Second Thomas Shoal in the Philippines’ special sea area. Two crashes made the situation tense. First, a ship from China’s Coast Guard bumped into a Philippine Navy resupply boat. Then, a Chinese maritime militia vessel collided with a parked Philippine Coast Guard ship.
These incidents have made the situation in the South China Sea more complicated. But China is playing down these clashes. They say the Philippines is either trying to get help from the U.S. or deliberately causing trouble. This fits with China’s way of dealing with other countries, especially smaller ones, saying they’re just doing what the U.S. wants. China still won’t accept that countries in Southeast Asia have fair reasons to be upset about the South China Sea situation.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. quickly said no to the idea that this is all about the U.S. and China fighting. He wants the Philippines to make its own choices, not just follow bigger countries in the area.
Looking deeper into China’s plan for the region, it’s clear they act this way because they see a sort of order where they are on top and are worried the U.S. is trying to surround and limit them. China has a long history of thinking smaller countries should do what they say, almost like they’re the boss. The leaders in China think the U.S. is working on a plan to control them, which makes them not want to talk about the problems with their neighbors.
As the tensions get worse, the U.S. government says their progress in the Indo-Pacific is because China is being difficult, not because they’re good at talking. This shows how tricky things are in this part of the world and makes us wonder if what everyone is doing is actually helping.
China not wanting to really talk about the worries of its neighbors is a big problem for how it deals with other countries. If China changes how it acts with the nearby countries, it could make things calmer and also challenge what the U.S. is trying to do in the South China Sea. We’re all watching to see what happens next in this important part of the world.
Yuval Noah Harari is an accomplished author with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism. His passion for storytelling and commitment to journalistic excellence have been the driving forces behind his successful writing career. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the art of storytelling, Yuval has consistently delivered compelling narratives that captivate readers from all walks of life.
