Manila incites anti-China sentiment in documentary

The airing of a documentary aimed squarely at South China Sea disputes is a means to incite anti-Chinese sentiment in the country, a misstep which reflects Manila's complete misjudgment over the surrounding political and security situations, experts warned Sunday. The first episode of the three-part documentary, called "Karapatan sa Karagatan" (Maritime Rights), was aired on state-run Television Friday and features interviews that accuse China of "stealing Philippines land and resources." The video was jointly launched by the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs, Presidential Press Office and the official Philippines News Agency. The Philippines government is attempting to expand the disputes with China over the South China Sea through the documentary by winning more support from its people and the international community, especially the US, said Wang Xiaopeng, an expert in maritime and border studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "But its inappropriate handling of the issue will be harmful to the country and also jeopardize regional security and stability. The country is making excuses for the US to deepen its involvement over South China Sea disputes," Wang said. Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has made several "China-threat" remarks in speeches and interviews. During a visit to Japan in early June, Aquino likened China to Nazi Germany, hinting at similarities between Beijing's activities in the South China Sea and Nazi Germany's expansionist moves before World War II. The Philippines has been involved in provocative acts in the South China Sea in the past years - from illegally occupying China-owned islands to detaining Chinese fishing vessels, to increasing the number of servicemen on disputed islands. A significant factor behind all these acts is the Philippines' misconception that countries like the US and Japan will back it up, said Ren Xiao, director of the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University. However, the Philippines is very wrong in holding that belief, as countries like the US are seeking a very different purpose in the region - a rebalance to the Asia-Pacific, experts said. "Pinning hopes on the US to achieve its purpose will only harm the Philippines itself, as the US would abandon the Philippines immediately if it adjusts its current policy in the Asia-Pacific region," Wang said. Trade and economic cooperation between the Philippines and its surrounding countries will be greatly affected, and in the long term, the deepened conflicts between China and the US would disrupt regional security, he said. The way forward is for Manila to hold direct talks with Beijing and skip the irrelevant parties of the US and Japan, however this has now become unlikely due to an aggressive Philippines government, Ren said. Analysts also believe that Aquino may try to win support for the presidential election in 2016 by preaching the "China-threat." Recently, the Philippines attempted to broaden influence in the international community by filing an arbitration case against China and also made unwarranted accusations over China's activities in the South China Sea at the at the 25th Meeting of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which was held at the UN headquarters in New York last week. China's deputy permanent representative to the UN, Wang Min, rebutted the accusations Friday and said that the country is trying to deceive the international community and pressure China into making compromises and concessions on issues concerning its sovereignty and territorial integrity. "Let me make this very clear to that country here: Its calculations are totally wrong. China's will to safeguard her sovereignty and territorial integrity is rock firm. No matter what and how much they say at this meeting or any UN venues, they will never get their way," Wang said.