The Chinese Foreign Ministry has once again stressed that the country will take resolute measures in response to any provocation or violation of China's sovereignty, and that Beijing will firmly safeguard the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and maritime rights and interests.?

That this was necessary is due to the irresponsible behavior of the Philippines, whose recent moves have been extremely provocative. By repeatedly sending vessels to the waters adjacent to China's Ren'ai Reef and even making moves endangering China Coast Guard vessels, the Philippines has walked back on its commitment to resolve its sovereignty dispute over the reef with China through talks.

Showing that it has no intention of easing the rising tensions that it has triggered, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman Medel Aguilar said last week that the Philippine government was considering building a permanent structure on the reef. This would renege on the commitment Manila has made to Beijing and be in contravention of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed by China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in which all parties agreed to maintain the status of the reef without people or facilities.

The Philippine government's latest inflammatory remarks are a further indication of the disruptive designs of the United States in the South China Sea. It is only after it once again fell under the sway of Washington that Manila has been engaging in such antics, while pretending to mend ties with Beijing.

Considering the improvement in relations between the two countries that had been fostered through the joint efforts of Beijing and Manila, it is particularly disappointing that the incumbent Philippine government under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr should be willing to put itself in hock to Washington to try and grab what it can.

Early last year, the Philippine government identified four new military bases, including some across the sea from China's Taiwan island, where rotating batches of US forces are to be allowed to be stationed. It is clear that the Philippine government believes that it can take advantage of the increased US military presence to leverage gains from China. It fails to recognize the reality that in doing so it is acting as a pawn of the US, with all the risks attendant on that role.

The Philippine government should be aware that the presence of US troops in the Philippines only functions as a scarecrow, and China will not hesitate to act if push comes to shove.

As Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said, it is against the principles of international law and legally untenable for the Philippines to cite the "award" of the South China Sea arbitration, "which is illegal, null and void", to claim that Ren'ai Reef falls within its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and deny China's sovereignty over it.

Manila should beware where Washington is leading it.