Chinese State Media Warns Philippines of Counterstrike in South China Sea
Local Editor
On Saturday, China's state media warned that a counterstrike against the Philippines was inevitable if it continues to provoke Beijing in the South China Sea.
This comes as ministers from both countries are to attend an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Brunei on Saturday, hoping to reach a legally binding code of conduct to manage maritime conduct in disputed areas.
China and the Philippines have been disputing for decades over the South China Sea. Tensions escalated after the Philippines moved new soldiers and supplies last week to a disputed coral reef, prompting Beijing to condemn its "illegal occupation".
The People's Daily, the official state media in China, said that the Philippines had committed "seven sins" in the South China Sea; "illegal occupation" of the Spratly Islands, inviting foreign capital to engage in oil and gas development in the disputed waters and promoting the "internationalization" of the waters.
"The Philippines, knowing that it's weak, believes that 'a crying child will have milk to drink'," the People's Daily mentioned, accusing Manila of resorting to many "unscrupulous" tricks in the disputed waters.
Source: News Agencies, edited by website team
