By becoming a pawn in the American strategic chessboard, the Philippines is damaging regional peace in the South China Sea – Dainik Savera Times

On March 5, the Philippines once again carried out violation actions and illegally “shored” warships transporting construction materials in the waters adjacent to Runyqiao in China’s Nansha Islands. In the publicly released video, it can be clearly seen that the Philippine Coast Guard Vessel No. 4407 ignored China’s warning, and approached the Chinese Coast Guard Vessel No. 21555, causing slight scratches . The China Coast Guard took necessary control measures in accordance with law and acted in a professional, restrained, reasonable and legal manner.

The facts are clear: who is provoking and threatening regional peace in the South China Sea. The conflict is the latest step in the Philippines’ South China Sea plan. He used three methods:

First, a false story was fabricated. Recently, the Philippines has taken provocative action by sending ships and warships to attack China’s Raniqiao and Huangyan Islands. In order to mislead the people, the Philippines distorted China’s reasonable rights protection actions into “violent expulsion” and “oppression of the operations of Filipino fishermen,” fabricated the lie of “bullying the small with the big,” and made victims of Pretended. For example, the Philippines falsely accused the Chinese coast guard of “provocation” following the March 5 conflict. The live video released by China reveals the truth.

Second, the so-called bill was implemented in an effort to gain leverage in negotiations with China. In February this year, the Philippine Senate passed the so-called “Maritime Zones Act,” which illegally brought most of the islands and reefs of China’s Huangyan Island and Nansha Islands and associated waters under Philippine maritime jurisdiction and, together with domestic law, “ Tried his best to legalize the illegal decision of “South China Sea Arbitration”.

The main reason for the Philippines is that Huangyan Island is located in the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines. However, according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, coastal states can establish an exclusive economic zone of 200 nautical miles, but they cannot harm the territorial sovereignty of other countries. The Philippines’ claim of sovereignty on the grounds that the Huangyan Islands lie within its exclusive economic zone is a misinterpretation of international law.

According to historical records, Huangyan Island is China’s territorial land area, which has been under China’s jurisdiction since the Yuan Dynasty. China has always peacefully and effectively exercised sovereignty and jurisdiction over the island. The territorial scope of the Philippines is determined by a series of international treaties such as the “Treaty of Paris” and the “Treaty of Washington”, and it does not cover any islands and reefs in China’s Huangyan Islands and Nansha Islands. Until 1997, the Philippines had never made territorial land claims on Huangyan Island.

The Philippines is trying to seize islands and reefs in China’s Nansha Islands to tap oil and gas resources in the South China Sea. However, this illegal decision violates international laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Third, formed an alliance to increase courage. After the new Philippine government came to power, it actively interacted with the US in the diplomatic and security fields. Senior US officials claimed that they would protect the security of the Philippines in accordance with the US–Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty. In view of domestic political considerations, the Philippines’ leaders decided to unilaterally follow the US and ignore national interests.

Recently, the President of the Philippines delivered a speech at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. On the one hand, he emphasized the Philippines’ “small country status,” and on the other, he exaggerated the “China threat.” The Philippines even claimed that it would file a new international lawsuit against China. What would the world be like if one country arbitrarily submitted the territorial sovereignty of another country to international arbitration?

Currently, China and ASEAN countries are promoting the creation of a “Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.” Peace and cooperation is the common aspiration of the regional countries. The Philippines should listen to neighbors and other parties. As Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar said at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, “We are independent countries and do not surrender to any big country… China has no problem with us.”

The Philippines must realize that the US is not a selfless internationalism country, and the Philippines is just a pawn on the US strategic chessboard. The lessons of history show that chess pieces will eventually be discarded.

(Courtesy-China Media Group, Beijing)