Manila Should Not Let Mistakes Become an Error

Manila is once again behaving like the toad that wants to eat a swan. In the latest attempt to infringe upon China's territorial sovereignty and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, six individuals from the Philippines illegally landed on China's Tiexian Reef in the South China Sea, disregarding warnings from the Chinese side.

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China holds indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, including Tiexian Reef, and the adjacent waters, and the China Coast Guard said on Sunday that it had warned the Philippines to stop the infringements, and that officers had conducted on-site verification and enforcement measures according to the law. The incident was just the latest violation of China's territorial integrity and maritime interests in the South China Sea by the Philippines that have become increasingly frequent in recent years, thanks to the encouragement given to Manila by Washington. Apart from Tiexian Reef, the Philippines has also made similar encroachments on China's territorial rights with regard to Huangyan Island, Ren'ai Reef and Niu'e Reef.

By sending people to illegally land on Chinese islands and islets and build constructions there,