Manila had better act responsibly and give wide berth to Washington's efforts to sabotage stability

The People's Liberation Army was obliged to respond to the provocation of the joint military patrol conducted by the Philippines and the United States on China's doorstep on Jan 3 and 4, as this was their second such military maneuver since November.

Signaling China's determination to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and deter troublemaking in the waters, the Southern Theater Command of the PLA extended a two-day naval and air force patrol in the South China Sea into a third day on Friday.

As a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said, the US and the Philippines' muscle-flexing, provocative military activities are not conducive to upholding peace and stability in the South China Sea.