Philippines President Benigno Aquino urged ASEAN at its annual summit that it should forge a code of conduct on territorial claims in the South China Sea, before negotiating with China to ease festering regional tensions. However, the Philippines cannot enlarge its own stance to that of ASEAN. Many Western media believe that there are splits within ASEAN over the South China Sea issue.

If the Philippines and Vietnam woo ASEAN into confronting China over the South China Sea issue, the splits within ASEAN are bound to take place, as this doesn't conform to the interests of the majority of ASEAN nations and is only an illusion of a few members.

Aquino cannot change the nature of the geopolitics of ASEAN, and turn the cooperative relationship between ASEAN and China into confrontation.

China should be unruffled by Aquino's act. It should only discuss concrete issues with the countries concerned. As long as it insists on this principle, it will not be confined.

China respects ASEAN, and ASEAN, as a whole, should also recognize that respect in the global sphere is mutual. If ASEAN supports the stance of the Philippines and Vietnam over the South China Sea issue, the prospects of cooperation in East Asia will be overthrown and the situation will become uncertain.

Aquino's stance toward China over many issues is taken out of short-term considerations. He is igniting domestic nationalism. But nationalism of that intensity won't make the Philippines an established country in East Asia.

Even if Aquino gets some support from some nations of ASEAN, such radicalism won't have wide support from the public in Southeast Asia. And even if the US gets involved, Southeast Asia will not blindly oppose China. They don't have any grounds to do so.

The Philippines wants to take advantage of China over the South China Sea issue, but this advantage cannot be gained through ASEAN. The hounding of China is stirring up a multisided confrontation. But it's unreasonable for ASEAN to deal with China through confrontation. Nobody wants to see a disintegrating and heated East Asia. Manila should hold a realistic view toward the South China Sea disputes. Its current policy is neither adoptable nor sustainable. If it insists on remaining so, it's hard to tell whether it's China or the Philippines that will be isolated.

The provocation by the Philippines seems quite offensive. But its policy toward China has already split. It shows a tough attitude toward China while at the same time wanting to broaden economic cooperation. The Philippines should adhere to the rules of geopolitics. It will never change the general direction that East Asia is taking.

The article is an editorial published in the Chinese edition of the Global Times Thursday. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn
South China Sea Conflict