On May 27, 2013, Huanqiu (the Chinese edition of Global Times) published an article on the South China Sea dispute between China and the Philippines titled “Soft Power Can No Longer Solve the South China Sea Dispute; Strike Whenever Necessary.” The article reported on a recent interview of Han Xudong, a professor at the PLA National Defense University, on a Shanghai-based radio station .
In the interview, Han Xudong said, “Diplomacy only has leverage when backed by military might. As Renai Shoal and Scarborough Shoal are the sovereign territory of China, why can’t we make military moves now to protect our territorial rights? China’s marine power is now strong enough to protect our national interests and rights. (China should) exercise its diplomatic and military clout interactively to achieve its aim.”
Source: Huanqiu, May 27, 2013
http://mil.huanqiu.com/observation/2013-05/3973411.html