If one is to take the words of the Philippine Defense Minister at face value, his country is not provoking China. But if that is the case, Manila must be either too politically naive or shortsighted to appreciate its actions cannot be perceived by Beijing as anything else.

In fact, Manila is well aware that it is making Beijing's hackles rise, since that is its intent. It seeks to force Beijing to forcefully respond to its actions so that it can portray China as aggressively asserting its territorial claims in the South China Sea.

But what is happening at Xianbin Reef shows that shoe is actually on Manila's foot. It is Manila that has been taking advantage of Beijing's goodwill and restraint to repeat the trick it has played at Ren'ai Reef.

According to the China Coast Guard, since Saturday patrol boats from the Philippine Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Bureau and multiple other fishing boats have gathered in the waters near a Philippine ship that was illegally stranded on China's Xianbin Reef. The move marks the latest escalation of tensions at the reef, for which Manila bears the sole responsibility. The Philippine ship was illegally grounded on the reef in April, and since then Manila has sent other ships to transfer personnel and supplies to the vessel in order to fortify its illegal action. Given that China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Xianbin Reef, Manila's moves seriously infringe upon China's sovereignty and cannot be viewed as anything but a provocation.

The ongoing farce at Xianbin Reef bears every emblem of Manila playing the same trick that it has played at China's Ren'ai Reef, where it deliberately grounded a World War II-era warship in 1999, opening the door to its illegal occupation of the Chinese reef till this day.

Coveting China's maritime territory, Manila has also violated the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea, particularly Article 5. Its repeated affronts in the South China Sea leave Beijing with no other choice but to strongly condemn and respond to Manila's actions.

The latest fracas at Xianbin Reef happened just a few days after China agreed to allow the Philippines to send life support supplies to the personnel aboard the ship grounded on Ren'ai Reef following a provisional arrangement reached during a series of consultations held last month between Beijing and Manila on managing the situation at Ren'ai Reef and working for a de-escalation of tensions in the South China Sea. By making waves at Xianbin Reef in the wake of this agreement, Manila has squandered the last remaining respect China had for it, since it has shown that give it an inch, it will take a mile.

Both reefs are Chinese territory, and China will not allow a similar scenario to that at Ren'ai Reef to be repeated at Xianbin Reef. Manila had better abandon any illusions it may harbor that it can repeat this trick by duplicitously wringing its hands in mock consternation that it should be perceived as acting provocatively.

It is the encouragement Manila has received from countries outside the region, especially that of the United States, that has emboldened it to stoke tensions in the South China Sea. Last week, US and Philippine warships conducted a joint maritime patrol near a disputed South China Sea with the obvious intention of sending China a message.

The joint patrol followed swiftly on the heels of Washington's latest pledge to provide $500 million in military aid to Manila. With such an incentive, it is little wonder Manila is willing to act as a pawn of the US, trying to rile China so as to put it on the back foot.

Yet the collusion of Manila and Washington is only serving to strengthen China's resolve to safeguard every inch of its territory and appropriately respond to any provocative moves that infringe on China's sovereignty, territorial integrity, and maritime rights and interests. China's law enforcement authorities have already stepped up their operations at Xianbin Reef.