As friendly neighbors, it is only natural that China and Russia should have good military-to-military ties. There is no justification for the United States to express alarm at alleged increased joint military actions by China and Russia, as the head of US Indo-Pacific Command John C. Aquilino has done. It only goes to show how adept the United States is at raising false alarms.

Speaking in Tokyo on Monday, Aquilino said the increasing military activity of China and Russia is a serious concern. He also accused China of escalating maritime confrontations with its neighbors.

Such allegations do not hold water as they are either a distortion of the facts or sheer fallacies. The two militaries have a legitimate right to work together to enhance cooperation and coordination. That they are doing so now is natural outcome of their robust bilateral ties and the ever deepening political and strategic mutual trust between the two countries. The top leaders of the two countries have met 43 times since 2013 while bilateral trade this year is moving steadily toward the goal of $200 billion that the two leaders jointly set.

In contrast, the United Sates has formed cliques to target countries it does not see eye to eye with and stokes the fires of differences that exist so they erupt into conflagrations.

Under the pretext of freedom of navigation, the US also frequently and provocatively sends warships to sail in the Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. The US has also increased the number of military bases it has in the region under the excuse of protecting its own interests and those of its allies, despite there not being any new or escalated threat to them.

The world should be concerned about Aquilino's remarks as they are another indication that the US is seeking to "set the theater for war" in the region as the top US Marine Corps general in Japan said earlier this year.

What the world should really be alarmed by is the US pouring oil on what had been the dying embers of the territorial disputes in a bid to stoke them into the flames of confrontation.

That the Philippines has constantly worked with the US military to make waves in the South China Sea this year at the instigation of the US is just one example of its antics.

The truth is countries have long been subject to US bullying, and many countries just dare not to speak up against it lest they fall foul of its aggressive acts. But, this does not necessarily mean they approve of the US' conduct, which is habitually detrimental to world peace and stability.

It is the actions of the US that are cause for concern, not those of the countries it is targeting with its actions.