Among all claimants of the South China Sea, the Philippines marks a stark contrast with most of the rest by constantly resorting to unilateral moves that have threatened to damage the prospect of a widely-aspired peaceful solution.
The tricks used by Manila over the past few months regarding South China Sea include baselessly accusing China of "bullying" in the area, shamefully disseminating such unwarranted claims at various global forums, and tirelessly courting external powers for patronage.
As a result of such courtship, US Pacific Fleet Commander Scott Swift flew a "seven-hour maritime surveillance mission" over the South China Sea on Saturday aboard a P-8A Poseidon aircraft as part of his recent visit to the Philippines.
Such unconstructive moves, also epitomized by Manila's stubborn arbitration request, run against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and threaten previous gains toward a peaceful solution.
Read the full story at Want China Times