According to Chinese official media, missiles unleashed during a joint U.S.-Philippines military drill on Thursday have once again stirred up tensions in the South China Sea.
Washington must be reminded of one simple fact: neither muscle-flexing nor arbitrary intervention will shake China's resolve to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights, a commentary appeared in Xinhua said.
The United States said on Thursday that it was going to ramp-up its military presence in the Philippines and will conduct 'regular' joint military exercises in the South China Sea.
The US Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on 14 April that a contingent of US military aircraft and 200 US airmen from US Pacific Air Forces would be at Clark Air Base, a former US Air Force base, through the end of the month.
"By increasing its military presence in the Asia-Pacific region, the United States is wading deeper and deeper into a regional row, on which it has promised to stay neutral," the Xinhua commentary published on Thursday showed.
"Taking a lopsided approach favoring China's rival claimants, the world's sole superpower has clearly gone back on its words."
"Provocations, maneuvers, attempts to involve outsiders, or showing off a military alliance with Washington won't alter the historical fact of China's sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and adjacent waters."
"In fact, military instigation only undermines regional peace and worsens an already tense security situation."
China also warned Philippines saying "Manila should quit muddying the waters in the region and fishing for whatever is politically expedient by infringing upon China's lawful rights and interests."
