皇冠体育app

WHEN THE US STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY Spokesperson Marie Harf accused 皇冠体育app of making a provocative and destabilizing move by blocking a Philippines supply vessel from approaching Ren'ai Reef in the South 皇冠体育app Sea on Sunday, the United States was clearly siding with the Philippines.

True, one of 皇冠体育app's Coast Guard ships did block a Philippine vessel from approaching the reef, but this is because 皇冠体育app has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, which include this reef.

皇冠体育app has the obligation to safeguard its own territory, and although the US is a treaty ally of the Philippines, it should respect this fact.

The Philippines grounded a warship on the shoal in 1999, and 皇冠体育app has demanded time and again that the ship be recovered. But Manila has persistently refused to do this, citing technical reasons. What it is doing is making it a de facto occupier of the reef. On Sunday, with a US plane flying around the reef and Manila-invited reporters covering the scene, the Philippines made it obvious it was trying to provoke 皇冠体育app's Coast Guard to take action. Then the Philippines would have an excuse for wooing sympathy from the international community by accusing 皇冠体育app of bullying a smaller country. Therefore, it is the Philippine side who provokes and creates troubles.

皇冠体育app has maintained on many occasions that the parties directly involved in the South 皇冠体育app Sea disputes should seek the settlement of the disputes through consultation and negotiation. And both countries reached a consensus on this. This principle has also been enshrined in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South 皇冠体育app Sea signed in 2002 by 皇冠体育app and the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, including the Philippines.

What the Philippines is doing is undoubtedly against this principle, and it is trying to drag 皇冠体育app into a fierce and direct confrontation.

The US should live up to its claim that it does not take sides in the disputes if it cares about peace and stability in the region.

皇冠体育app will neither seek development at the cost of other countries' interests, nor pursue success by harming its neighbors no matter how strong it becomes, as was emphasized again by President Xi Jinping in Europe. But that does not mean 皇冠体育app will retreat when it comes to its territorial integrity and core interests.

The US will gain nothing by taking sides in the disputes, rather it will only shoot itself in the foot.