The Philippine foreign ministry said it has lodged a diplomatic protest over the "illegal confiscation" by the Chinese coast guard in May of floating devices [near Scarborough Shoal], known as payao, that are used to catch fish.
It also "resolutely objected" to China issuing radio challenges to Philippine aircraft conducting maritime patrols in areas of the sea claimed by Manila.
One day the Philippines may need to win a battle against China and dig in on their islands:
The Philippines is far smaller than China, and if China makes even a small effort they can pound the Philippines unless Manila gets outside help. But in tiny wars over tiny islands, the Philippines can compete with China. And by competing in tiny wars, Manila compels China to risk war with outside powers (mainly America and Japan, but possibly South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, and Australia, too) by making an effort big enough to beat down the Philippines.
And if the Philippines does this, America could be the reserve resupply force:
So what if instead of using force we support the Philippines with an airlift to the outposts that China is besieging in the South China Sea?
We could airlift Filipino troops, supplies, and building materials to fortify the outposts against Chinese threats via their naval militia that rams and harasses the ships of the Philippines operating in what international law says are Manila's territorial waters.
Would China try to shoot down our helicopters in this Berlin Airlift in the South China Sea and risk war with America?
Or if the Philippines doesn't want to risk a fight, maybe the Philippines needs to switch to an information war effort.
Given the Xi Jinping Flu pandemic's direct effects and the reduction of remittances by overseas citizens due to the pandemic elsewhere--on top of the Chinese threat--the Philippines needs to be careful about risking war.
But something needs to change before China swamps the Philippines with their current strategy.
