By Recently, the Philippines has been stirring up provocations over the South China Sea, intensifying the already strained tensions in the region.

 

On March 29, a Philippine supply ship slipped past a Chinese coast guard blockade, under the cover of US and Philippine military aircraft, to rotate Philippine troops and resupply provisions in Ren'ai Reef.

  

The Philippines intentionally invited journalists from Western media outlets to cover the maneuver.

  

The next day the country filed an arbitration case including a 4,000-page long submission to the UN, in an attempt to deny China's legitimate right to its territory in the South China Sea including the nine-dash line.

  

With such provocations the Philippines has further inflamed tensions over the South China Sea. It is the troublemaker and demolisher of the status quo in this region.

 

The nation has been pushing ahead the arbitration case forcibly, sabotaging the principles stipulated in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and blocking access to resolving the territorial row in a peaceful way.

  

China signed a declaration with ASEAN member states in 2002. Relevant stakeholders are committed to avoiding complicating and magnifying disputes and addressing them peacefully. But since 2013, the Philippines has begun to submit arbitration cases to the UN regardless of China's stance and exhortations, damaging the peaceful development in the South China Sea.

 

Manila has frequently challenged Beijing over the Ren'ai Reef, undermining stability in the South China Sea and threatening the sustainable development of China-ASEAN ties. China and ASEAN have been enjoying smooth development in their bilateral relationship since the establishment of the Free Trade Area in 2010. However, Manila's moves in the South China Sea have had a negative impact on China-ASEAN mutual trust.

  

With the US' further deployment over the Asia-Pacific region, the South China Sea has become a major arena for regional powers. Quite familiar with Washington's concern with and vigilance against Beijing, the Philippines caused trouble on Ren'ai Reef by instigating diplomatic means.

  

Manila needs to justify its groundless claim to certain islands in the South China Sea with relevant international laws.

  

The Philippines has occupied eight reefs on China's Nansha Islands, with the purpose of seeking legitimacy for its illegal claims.

  

Manila takes advantage of international media to serve as its megaphone to hype the territorial contention and swindle the international community for support and sympathy.

  

The country also needs US protection to grasp interests over the South China Sea. Manila proactively stirs conflicts with China, so as to use the US as a shield and umbrella to facilitate itself in capturing political, economic and military interests.

 

 This is not the first time Manila has posed such a challenge. The Philippine Defense Ministry placed Huangyan Island under the jurisdiction of its western command as early as February.

  

As China has stressed, the US should distinguish right from wrong and avoid being misled by

Manila's malicious moves.

  

The author is an assistant research fellow with the National Institute for South China Sea Studies.