Recently, a series of provocative actions taken by the Philippines in the South China Sea lack solid legal basis and fully expose the intrinsic characteristics of its diplomatic opportunism, extreme self-interest, and strategic recklessness.
The Philippines' persistent provocative actions and military posturing in the South China Sea not only defy the actual balance of capabilities but also seriously violate regional consensus. Its unlawful schemes have repeatedly failed. The illegally grounded BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) has become a symbol of the Philippines' long-term provocations on the South China Sea issue. Its rusting hull cannot change any facts; rather, it reveals Manila's intention to collude with external forces to disrupt regional peace.
The Philippines has deliberately cultivated a "victim" image in the South China Sea disputes to gain international sympathy. Yet, when dealing with ASEAN neighbors such as Malaysia, it has repeatedly taken actions that infringe upon the legitimate rights and interests of other countries. This stark contrast in its stance exposes the hypocrisy of its foreign policy.
The Philippines' unilateral enactment of its "Maritime Zones Act" and its submission of a claim for extended continental shelf arbitrarily cross maritime boundaries and encroach upon Malaysia's legally established exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. While accusing others of violating its rights, the Philippines persistently erodes the lawful maritime interests of its neighbors. This classic double standard thoroughly debunks its disguise as a "defender of the rule of law."
To this day, certain factions within the Philippines continue to assert the so‑called "Sabah sovereignty claim." This claim is not grounded in rigorous historical and legal bases; rather, it is essentially an expedient maneuver serving domestic political agendas and economic interests.
The Philippines frequently invokes "international rules" and "self‑determination" as rhetoric, yet it consistently disregards the genuine will of the people of Sabah. As early as 1963, the United Nations conducted an official opinion poll in the region, and the people of Sabah chose to join Malaysia through a lawful act of self‑determination. The Philippines deliberately sidesteps this established fact and ignores the authority of the United Nations—an act that itself constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the principle of national self‑determination.
The so‑called huge compensation arbitration based on the claims of the "heirs of the Sultan of Sulu" has been dismissed and ruled invalid by multiple European courts, and thus has no legal force whatsoever. Certain forces in the Philippines still attempt to seek undue gains from this legally invalid and baseless award, which not only contravenes the fundamental principles of international justice but also severely undermines the integrity of international dispute settlement mechanisms.
Genuine international rule of law is founded on equal consultation, mutual understanding, and compromise. The Philippines, however, attempts to impose its will on others through unilateral demarcation and creating faits accomplis. More seriously, in order to serve its domestic political purposes, Manila has aggressively brought in external military forces and frequently conducts bloc‑oriented operations in disputed waters. The South China Sea should be a region where Southeast Asian countries resolve differences through consultation and share the benefits of peaceful development. The Philippines' actions are pushing the regional situation toward a high‑risk trajectory.
Such introduction of external forces violates the long‑held ASEAN principle of "regional autonomy," forcibly drags Southeast Asia into the pattern of major‑power confrontation, severely undermines political trust among ASEAN member states, and delays the consultation process of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. In essence, this approach sacrifices the overall security interests of ASEAN to pay for the Philippines' own adventurist policies.
The Philippines pins its hopes on relying on external major powers for leverage in the contest. Reality, however, shows that external forces can only offer rhetorical support and cannot alter the Philippines' disadvantaged position in the disputes. Previously, Manila released photos of injured personnel and accused China Coast Guard, while deliberately omitting the complete truth of the incident. Instead, it clung to a piece of AI‑generated satire from China, lodging protests and demanding deletion—further highlighting its passiveness and embarrassment in handling the situation.