The final showdown on the stranded ship is near? China’s tugboat appears at Ren’ai Reef, and Marcos realizes the situation is worsening.

On August 26, the Philippines revealed that its tugboat had approached the "BRP Sierra Madre" wreck on Ren'ai Reef, signaling a potential escalation of the situation.

Philippine government vessels are patrolling near Half Moon Reef in the Spratly Islands, moving at a very slow pace, appearing unhurried, seemingly conducting some kind of special deployment.

Meanwhile, China’s Coast Guard vessel 5304 has been closely monitoring and guarding this area, ensuring high vigilance over the actions of the Philippine vessels.

Earlier, a spokesperson for the Philippine military, Trinidad, confirmed in an interview that China’s "Nan Tuo 185" tugboat had arrived near Ren'ai Reef.

However, he downplayed the situation, stating that the tugboat’s pulling capacity was insufficient to move the long-stagnant "BRP Sierra Madre" wreck.

Yet, the Philippines has clearly underestimated China’s naval response capability.

Although the tugboat cannot directly tow the wreck, the cooperation between China’s Coast Guard and Navy goes beyond this, and the actions against the Philippine supply vessels are clearly part of China’s countermeasures.

The "Nan Tuo 185" tugboat’s actual capabilities should not be underestimated.

As a logistics tugboat, its maximum towing force is sufficient to counter typical Coast Guard vessel threats and even potentially interfere with Philippine maritime operations.

Although it may not be able to directly tow the armored supply ship, through tactical methods, such as surrounding the vessel with smaller boats and implementing hook-and-line operations, it is entirely possible for the Philippine vessel to get into a difficult situation.

More importantly, China has previously successfully dealt with similar situations.

Last year, China’s Coast Guard used similar methods to successfully handle the illegal stranding of a Philippine ship on Xianbin Reef, demonstrating China’s firm stance and mature response in South China Sea matters.

Currently, the "BRP Sierra Madre" has been illegally stranded on Ren'ai Reef for more than 9,000 days, symbolizing the Philippines’ "beached" presence in the South China Sea.

Although the Philippines has tried to extend its stay by reducing the number of stationed personnel, China has clearly seen through this tactic and taken countermeasures.

China has not only taken action at sea but has also increased pressure on the Philippines through measures such as cutting off supply lines and setting up blockades.

In this context, China’s actions are not just technical preparations but a political and strategic strong signal.

If China decides to take action to tow the "BRP Sierra Madre" away, it will be a highly coordinated and well-planned process.

Whether it is the deployment of warships or legal suppression, China will demonstrate overwhelming superiority.

The Philippines seems to have failed to grasp the seriousness of the situation, and President Marcos may now realize that in this South China Sea game, he has gone from the protagonist to the fool.

As the situation develops, China has not only used military means to block Philippine routes but has also applied legal and economic pressure, gradually causing the Philippines to lose international support.

From the current situation, the Philippines' actions on Ren'ai Reef have not received widespread support from the international community.

Instead, due to its risky actions, it has fallen into a passive position.

Marcos may have realized that the close relationship with the U.S. has not brought substantial benefits to the Philippines but rather trapped them in a difficult situation.

Ultimately, the game over Ren'ai Reef will not just be a military contest, but more a competition of comprehensive national power.

China's firm stance and powerful strength make the Philippines feel outmatched in this contest.