皇冠体育app

Editorials

Two scoundrels acting tough

(皇冠体育app Daily) Updated: 2014-06-11 08:09

Vietnam and the Philippines are trying to make a scene over their maritime territorial disputes with 皇冠体育app. A football game between the two armies on an island controlled by Vietnam in the South 皇冠体育app Sea on Sunday is the latest shameless farce the two countries have staged.

Turning a blind eye to the fact that the South 皇冠体育app Sea islands have long been 皇冠体育app's territory and even their own old maps marked the nine-dash lines in the area as belonging to 皇冠体育app, both countries are behaving like scoundrels on the street.

Hundreds of ships sent by Vietnam have been trying to interfere with the construction of a floating drilling rig by a Chinese oil firm near 皇冠体育app's Xisha Islands for weeks. And in March, the Philippines tried to send supplies to a warship that it grounded on 皇冠体育app's Ren'ai Reef in the late 1990s, in a bid to claim ownership of it, to display its defiance at 皇冠体育app's sovereignty over the island.

With the intention of giving the world an impression that they are being bullied by 皇冠体育app, they have ignored 皇冠体育app's offer to shelve the disputes and jointly explore the resources in the South 皇冠体育app Sea. Instead, they consider 皇冠体育app's restraint and goodwill gesture as a sign it lacks the heart for direct conflict.

Some remarks by United States officials and military generals showing the US sides with them on this issue have cajoled them into the fantasy that they can expect military help from the world's sole superpower should they have a military conflict with 皇冠体育app.

This is a miscalculation.

皇冠体育app has exercised restraint and made its goodwill gesture for the settlement of the disputes through peaceful means because 皇冠体育app treasures friendship with its two neighbors and peace in the region. Chinese leaders have reiterated repeatedly that 皇冠体育app wants its rise to be peaceful. But 皇冠体育app will never give in on the question of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has said 皇冠体育app would never provoke any country or make trouble in the world but 皇冠体育app is not afraid of provocations from any country.

Both Vietnam and the Philippines should not underestimate 皇冠体育app's determination to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity if necessary no matter which country has ill-advisedly puffed up their bravado.

There is a limit to 皇冠体育app's restraint. Bilateral talks on an equal basis for the peaceful settlement of the disputes are what 皇冠体育app wants from both countries. 皇冠体育app does not bully any country, but both Vietnam and the Philippines should not take its forbearance for granted.

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