The shrill with the dragon to-do [By Zhai Haijun/China.org.cn]

Over the past days, the Philippines has not only made repeated provocative moves over China's Huangyan Island, but attempted to resort to external forces to muddle up the issue.

Currently, the standoff has persisted for nearly half a month since two Chinese surveillance ships came to the rescue of the Chinese fishermen who had been harassed by Philippine warships.

Turning a deaf ear to China's repeated calls for exercising restraint and preventing tensions from escalating, Manila has sent military reinforcements to the Huangyan Island area.

Playacting as being "disadvantaged" in an attempt to win "support" from the international community, the Philippines has also taken more despicable actions.

It has asked China to agree to bring the dispute to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea for arbitration and urged other countries concerned to "consider what China is endeavoring to do" on the island and "take a stand" on China's actions.

All too clear is Manila's ulterior motive, with resort to external forces, to heighten, complicate and internationalize the controversy in a bid to muddle up the issue and grab the territory that does not belong to it, neither on historical or legal basis.

It is known to all that Huangyan Island and surrounding waters have been an integral part of China since ancient times, and the Philippines' claim over its sovereignty is groundless and self-contradictory.

As late as the 1980s, maps published in the Philippines showed that Huangyan Island is outside of its territory.

Having repeatedly stated that the island was not within its territory, the Philippines had never disputed over China's claim to the island and surrounding waters before 1997.

Over-enthusiasm of the powers, such as the United States, over the South China Sea has been a major factor prompting Manila's stab at exploiting foreign intervention over its groundless territorial claim.

Contrary to its expectations, Manila does not seem to have gain much-wanted backing from its "patron" when Washington expressed hope that the disputes will be resolved through "dialogues" and "consensual means."

History shows that meddling by outsiders will only backfire.

The Philippines needs to reflect on what its people had suffered in their struggle for the solution of the issue concerning the U.S. Subic Bay Naval Base on its territory.

Since the incident over Huangyan Island occurred, the Chinese government has lodged solemn representations on various occasions to the Philippines, urging Manila to refrain from taking any action that might escalate tensions and make due efforts to restore peace and stability on the South China Sea.

In an effort to de-escalate tension, the Chinese side has voluntarily withdrawn two law enforcement vessels from the waters.

China's goodwill moves, however, should never be misinterpreted as being weak and easily bullied.

It is clear to all parties concerned that China's sovereignty over the Huangyan Island has solid historical and legal basis, and its claim is in line with international law. The Chinese government's determination to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity is "resolute and unmistakable."

As close neighbors, China and the Philippines have forged close links in areas such as economy and trade, and enjoyed a broad prospect for future cooperation.

It is China's hope that the Philippine side will bear the overall situation in mind, adhere to the consensus to refrain from any possible action to escalate and complicate the issue and make due efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote the development of bilateral relations.

Any attempt to resort to external forces to mess the issue up is unwise and doomed to failure.

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