The Chinese coast guard came in small boats with axes, long knives and spears.
They used the crude weapons to slash and puncture the Philippine military’s rubber craft. One Chinese boat rammed a Philippine boat at high speed, severing the thumb of a Filipino seaman who was holding on to the side of his ride.
Video footage isn’t paywalled for those interested in viewing it without a subscription or an archive link.
In other words any country having regional or global power aspirations.
Compared with the invasion of Iraq or Ukraine this is actually fairly moderated by China.
I don’t think it’s valid to compare a full-scale ground invasion with smashing up a patrol boat. Ground invasions are overt acts of war, no matter how much the invader might want to label them as “special”. In this case I don’t think China wants an open conflict with the Philippines, not yet anyway. If you’re actually invading you don’t vandalize one boat with hand tools and then run off, like teenager leaving a burning bag of shit on someone’s porch.
This is about China doing whatever it wants, and international law be damned. It’s more of a Cartman-esque demand for obedience and submission.
So you do agree that it is a fairly moderated act, compared two how the other two main powers in the world operate, which is outright illegal and mass murderous invasions.
No, I think it’s an invalid comparison. Do you struggle with reading comprehension?
Considering the US literally couped Australia when their prime minister refused to give unconditional support for a spy base, this is small fry!
p.s. that military base in Australia now exists, the US has full autonomous control of it, stations soldiers there, and the antennae currently guiding the Israeli missiles leveling Gaza