The overseas edition of the People’s Daily published an article that enumerated seven “crimes” the Philippines committed in the conflict with China over the South China Sea issue. They are:
“The first is the ‘original sin’ of illegal occupation of China’s eight Nansha islands and reefs. The second is to continually strengthen the so-called ‘actual control’ of the eight islands and reefs. The third is the attempt to turn Second Thomas Shoal (Ayungin Reef) into an actual possession. The fourth is unilaterally inviting foreign capital to engage in oil and gas development in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. The fifth is deliberately promoting the internationalization of the South China Sea conflict. The sixth is trying all means to pull in extraterritorial countries as its supporters in order to increase the leverage against China. The seventh is the complete lack of good faith in solving the South China Sea problem through dialogue and cooperation.”
The article warned, “If [the Philippines] wants to choose confrontation … and tries to rely on external forces to strengthen their claim, which lacks legitimacy, it is futile and will eventually prove to be a pyrrhic strategic misjudgment.”
Source: People’s Daily (overseas edition), June 29, 2013
http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrbhwb/html/2013-06/29/content_1261261.htm