The Philippinos have little resources, but are not backing down
Right now there is serious bumping, grinding, shoving, and pushing going on at two shoals, each roughly 100 miles off of the Philippines. Both of these rock outcroppings are important fishing grounds and well within the Philippine 200 mile international standard for sovereign maritime Economic Zones. Scarborough Shoals is the upper red oval and Second Thomas Shoals is the bottom red oval in the map below. Bigger, more numerous Chinese Coast Guard equivalent vessels (the Chinese have multiple para-military/constabulary naval elements, it’s hard to keep track of these organizations and all their ships) are playing what is close to becoming a deadly shoving match with Philippino military, coast guard, and police units.
The Phillipino’s have beached an old, rusting, American LST (the revolutionary and famous, war winning ship type of WWII used in so many amphibious landings) at Second Thomas Shoals which is manned by Philippino Marines and Sailors who have established an Island Alamo and are taunting the Chinese to try and come and take it.
What is the Chinese intent? Seize these shoals and creep closer to the Philippines. Once this is done, it will be an easy next step to occupy Palawan or Luzon. Four new American base camps, with missiles have been announced, three on the north end of Luzon to provide covering fire to Taiwan, only 80 miles to the north, and one on Palawan. They are not fully set up, operational, and likely don’t have their missiles installed yet.
In addition to Panama - the Philippines, and the Middle East are the next brushfires that Arsonist in Chief, President Xi of China, is setting to distract, confuse, and attrite America. The answer - we have to secure the American Homeland and Border as the highest priority, while simultaneously providing deterrence to Chinese adventurism in key places around the world. To do that, the Biden regime needs to be replaced.
