THE edited video clips and partial photos Manila presented as “evidence” accusing China Coast Guard vessels of aggressive acts in waters near China’s Huangyan Island and Ren’ai Reef in the South China Sea actually exposed their lie that China initiated an escalation of tensions. Manila deliberately excluded footage showing China Coast Guard personnel repeatedly warning the Philippine vessels to avoid the waters adjacent to the Chinese island and reef in both incidents. By showcasing selective and edited “highlights” of the events, the Philippines has painted itself as a victim of bullying, which detracts from the credibility of their claims. The Philippine Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Romeo Brawner was on board one of the Philippine vessels, which were trying to transport construction materials to the old battleship grounded on Ren’ai Reef in 1999. But that does not change the fact that the Philippines trespassed in this situation. Furthermore, Manila’s decision to dispatch a senior military official to the beat-up battleship, despite their repeated promises to Beijing over the past two decades to tug it away, only serves to expose their lies and treacherous acts. While the Philippines are provoking China and escalating tensions, Beijing is exercising restraint on the issue, avoiding confrontation and wishing to settle the dispute through dialogue so that it won’t further harm the Sino-Philippine relations. By opening nine of its bases overlooking the waters to the south of China’s Taiwan Island and the eastern flank of the South China Sea to the U.S. military, Manila has served as a puppet of the U.S. No wonder, soon after the weekend farce orchestrated by Washington and played out by Manila in the South China Sea, the U.S. State Department endorsed Manila’s provocations by calling on China to halt its “dangerous and destabilizing” actions. Seeing through the behind-the-scenes role played by the U.S., Beijing bears the bigger picture in mind and shows considerable restraint to Manila’s ill-advised provocative moves, which hurts the peace and interests of the Asia-Pacific region. Jose Manuel Romualdez, the Philippine Ambassador to the U.S. and one of a diehard member in the pro-U.S. faction in the country, recently said in an interview with Japanese media that skirmishes between Philippine and Chinese vessels in the South China Sea could spark a major conflict at “any time,” and that the South China Sea is the “flashpoint” and “[if] anything happens in our area, it’s like the beginning of another war, world war.” Not only did the ambassador keep overstating the conflict and drawing fire on himself, he went further and said that “the only way to do that [counter China’s ‘coercive actions’] is to have multilateral countries show force.” Obviously, Romualdez was inviting the U.S. intervention, thinking that his country has the protection from a superpower. But he should think twice. When asked what actions by China would “qualify as an armed attack” stipulated in the Mutual Defense Treaty between the U.S. and the Philippines, a Pentagon spokesperson has responded vaguely, saying that they would “focus more on China’s behaviors and intent,” without further elaborating. Within the Philippines, there are already voices that are becoming wary of their government’s China policy. An article in the Manila Times on Dec. 13 titled “Military, Coast Guard turning PH into world’s laughingstock” pointed out that the Philippines’ madness is driven by the U.S.’ need to demonize and isolate China. Similar voices are heard from various sectors in the Philippines, which Manila should think about seriously. China will never compromise on its core interests, and its army is ready to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity any time needed. Redlines have long been drawn. The ball is in the court of the Philippine side to decide how far it can afford to go in acting as a U.S. pawn. (China Daily) | 