China today accused the US of “instigating” the Philippines to go for UN arbitration on the disputed South China Sea issue, citing an American diplomat’s remarks that ruling by an international tribunal would be critical for the “rules-based” future of the region. “As Foreign Minister Wang Yi has said, the Philippines’ action of forwarding the arbitration case is unlawful, unfaithful and unreasonable,” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told a media briefing.
“Its stubbornness is clearly the result of behind-the- scenes instigation and political maneuvering. China is surely not going to humour such a political farce,” she said. Hua was reacting to comments by Daniel Russel, top US diplomat for East Asia that the upcoming ruling by an international tribunal on the arbitration case brought by the Philippines would be a critical moment for the “rules-based” future of the region.