On March 7, 2024, Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attended a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the People's Armed Police Force at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) in Beijing.
During the meeting, as tensions rise in the South China Sea, Xi urged the military to prepare for maritime conflicts and added that the military should be ready to protect Beijing's maritime rights and interests. Xi also called on the military to enhance strategic capabilities in cyber space and to build cyber space defense system.
It is worth noting that, commenting on China's hostility toward the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, U.S. President Joe Biden said that Washington's defense commitment to Manila is "ironclad."[1] In this regard, the Philippines Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel "Babe" del Gallego Romualdez, recently stated: "With all the dangerous maneuvers that are happening, one major accident could trigger the U.S. or the Philippines to invoke the [1951] Mutual Defense Treaty,[2] which is why we just have to hope that every morning when President Xi wakes up, he will say, 'today is not the day.'"[3]
Meanwhile, China urged the US to stop using Philippines as a "pawn to destabilize South China Sea." Foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning then added: "The Philippines also needs to refrain from being manipulated by the United States. Lessons from history tell us that a pawn will only end up being abandoned."[4]
In December, Philippines Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro said that China is trying to cause other countries to accept its own version of international maritime law and to accept its claims that the South China Sea is entirely Chinese territory. He said that China is attempting to convert the South China Sea into a Chinese "lake," and that its use of large military-esque coast guard vessels to enforce its domestic laws in the South China Sea is part of the "legal narrative" that China is attempting to force other countries to accept.[5]
(Source: Mwr.gov.cn)
Following is the report of the meeting published by China's Ministry of Water Resources:[6]
"Six Lawmakers From The Military Spoke [On]... Defense Capabilities In Cyberspace And The Application Of Artificial Intelligence To The Development And Utilization Of Unmanned Combat Capabilities"
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"Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on the armed forces to forge a stronger sense of mission, deepen reform and promote innovation, so as to comprehensively enhance strategic capabilities in emerging areas.
"Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks while attending a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force at the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, or China's national legislature.
"Xi said strategic capabilities in emerging areas are an important part of national strategies and strategic capabilities, and are of great significance to building a great country and advancing national rejuvenation on all fronts through Chinese modernization.
"Six lawmakers from the military spoke at the meeting on topics ranging from defense capabilities in cyberspace and the application of artificial intelligence to the development and utilization of unmanned combat capabilities."
"Xi Urged Efforts To Coordinate Maritime Military Preparedness, Maritime Rights And Interests Protection And Marine Economy Development"
"Xi said China's drive to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces has provided rare opportunities for the development of strategic capabilities in emerging areas.
"He called for enabling new quality productive forces and new quality combat capabilities to effectively integrate with and boost each other.
"Xi urged efforts to coordinate maritime military preparedness, maritime rights and interests protection and marine economy development.
"He called for optimizing aerospace layout to promote China's aerospace system development, and building cyberspace defense system to enhance the ability to safeguard national cybersecurity."
[1] Philstar.com/headlines/2023/10/26/2306717/biden-says-us-defense-commitments-philippines-ironclad, October 26, 2023.
[2] "Signed by Manila and Washington in 1951, the MDT is a defense pact that unites the two allies to help defend each other from aggression. Under Article IV of the treaty, it is stated that the Philippines and the US recognize that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of them would be dangerous to their respective peace and safety. The two countries also declared that they would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with their constitutional processes. Under Article V, it is determined that the treaty covers an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the parties, or on the island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific Ocean, or on their armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the Pacific." Gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/899866/explainer-the-ph-us-mutual-defense-treaty/story/, March 8, 2024.
[3] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 11191, Philippine Ambassador To The U.S. Romualdez: 'The Aggression We Face Today Is Very Real Because China Will Not Let Up On Its Over-Expansive Claims In Our Territorial Waters', March 11, 2024; Philstar.com/opinion/2024/03/03/2337635/australia-important-and-critical-ally, March 3, 2024.
[4] English.scio.gov.cn/pressroom/2024-03/07/content_117044560.htm, March 7, 2024.
[5] See MEMRI TV clip No. 10954, Philippine Defense Secretary Gibo Teodoro: China Is Attempting to Force Countries to Accept Its Claims to Sovereignty in the Entire South China Sea, December 15, 2023.
[6] Mwr.gov.cn/english/sydt/202403/t20240312_1705981.html, March 8, 2024.
