The People’s Daily editorial comes as Beijing ramps up efforts to assert its stance ahead of a ruling by an worldwide tribunal in a case filed by the Philippines challenging China’s claims to most of the South China Sea.
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The Philippines asked an arbitration tribunal to consider the status of features that China has developed, as well as the legal basis of China’s so-called “historic rights” claim.
The author asserts that China should be ready to “let the USA pay a cost it can not stand if it intervenes in the South China Sea dispute by force”.
Washington should honor its promise not to take sides over the dispute, and stop speculating that China is trying to compete with it for dominance in the region, Asia and the world as a whole, Dai added.
“Washington has deployed two carrier battle groups around the South China Sea, and it wants to send a signal by flexing its muscles: As the biggest powerhouse in the region, it awaits China’s obedience”, it said.
On the basis of bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), China and the Philippines have chosen negotiation as the means to resolve their disputes rather than arbitration.
China has said it would reject the ruling and refused to recognise the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s jurisdiction over the issue.
“If it’s not (favorable to the Philippines), then, we will accept it as part of the country that honors global commitment by the Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea)”, he said.
THE Foreign Affairs Department declined to comment Wednesday on China’s threat to make the United States pay the price if it crosses Beijing’s limits in the disputed South China Sea.
Chinese government officials, Reuters notes, downplayed the threatening nature of the Global Times piece, though the government approves the material published in that newspaper.
“We have yet to confirm the report”, the department said in a message.
“I expect that the tribunal ruling may escalate actions and reactions, so we should be watchful”, he said.
In a brief online statement, China’s maritime safety administration said the drills would take place from July 5-11, and gave coordinates for the drills that cover an area from the east of China’s Hainan island down to and including the Paracels.
Manila has sought to play down tensions with its powerful neighbour ahead of the decision.
Rodrigo Duterte, the Filipino President, said his country would not use force to contest China’s claims and promised to accept the court’s decision whatever the outcome.
“There is a need for special envoy to help us in reaching out on back-channel basis”, Yasay told ANC in an interview on Tuesday.
During the June 17 incident, Chinese defense officials said two Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) Mitsubishi F-15J Eagles intercepted two Chinese Sukhoi Su-30 fighters over the East China Sea in the Beijing declared Air Defense Identification Zone near the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands.
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China’s response would “fully depend” on the Philippines, the China Daily said, citing unidentified sources.
