zhōng fēi中菲nán hǎi南海guān xì关系wèi shén me为什么biàn dé变得jǐn zhāng紧张
Recently, China and the Philippines have argued again over the South China Sea issue.
China's ambassador to the Philippines said that if China used force, it might win easily, but China would not do so.
The Philippine president considered the remark a threat and asked the ambassador for an explanation.
China said it hopes to improve relations between the two countries.
The South China Sea is an important sea route and also has abundant fishery and energy resources.
China, the Philippines, and other countries have different claims over some waters.
Recently, ships from the two countries have had several confrontations at sea, including blocking law-enforcement actions, using high-pressure water cannons, and affecting the evacuation of patients.
The Philippines has also suspended the hotline between the two countries' militaries.
Without timely communication, both sides are more likely to misunderstand each other and may even come into conflict.
The Philippines and the United States have security cooperation, so the dispute may also affect the United States.
Whether the two countries resume communication and reduce confrontations at sea will determine whether the situation in the South China Sea becomes even more dangerous.