The Philippines blindly upping the ante by betting on US backing for its brinkmanship

The record of the law enforcement actions taken by the China Coast Guard so far this year shows that two-fourths of them have been in response to provocations by the Philippines.

In February alone, the CCG released at least five notices or statements on measures that it had been forced to take because of the Philippines' provocative activities around Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea, namely Huangyan Island and Ren'ai Reef.

Taking advantage of the restraint China has shown, the Philippines has sent its coast guard ships, government vessels and fishing boats to repeatedly trespass into waters adjacent to Huangyan Island. It has also repeatedly and with increasing frequency attempted to send building materials to reinforce the disintegrating warship it illegally grounded on China's Ren'ai Reef in 1999.