By essentially doing Washington's bidding, Manila walks a very dangerous tightrope

That the Chinese navy had to block a Philippine warship from trespassing the waters off China's Huangyan Island is the latest proof that the Philippines has no intention to defuse the tensions despite China's repeated calls. Instead, Manila is bent on making provocative moves around Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea so the United States can take advantage of the issue to maintain its global hegemony.

According to Senior Colonel Tian Junli, spokesperson for the People's Liberation Army Southern Theater Command, the Chinese military followed, monitored, warned and blocked the ship, and then prevented the Philippine warship from entering China's waters in accordance with the maritime law.

After the weeks-long standoff between the two countries over the sovereignty of the Chinese island in 2012, China has maintained the actual control of the island. In the intervening years, the Chinese navy has made remarkable achievements in terms of its modernization, making it capable of defusing tensions, even defeating contenders to China's territories in the South China Sea.