And now the Chinese are berating the Philippines for--wait for it!--"The Philippine side is trying to use this [UN tribunal] to negate China's territorial sovereignty and attach a veneer of 'legality' to its illegal occupation of Chinese islands and reefs."
The issue is that the Philippines is hoping the sainted international community can save them from China's power:
Frustrated with the slow pace of regional diplomacy, the Philippines in January angered China by asking a U.N. tribunal to order a halt to Beijing's activities that it said violated Philippine sovereignty over the islands, surrounded by potentially energy-rich waters.
Claims by an increasingly powerful China over most of the South China Sea have set it directly against U.S. allies Vietnam and the Philippines. Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also claim parts of the waters and China has a separate dispute with Japan in the East China Sea.
Manila said on Thursday that a U.N. arbitration court had set up the tribunal which would hear Manila's complaint, but China said this was an attempt to steal Chinese territory.
You can get along with China--for a while.
You might even think you are a "special" case and that China will--uniquely--be considerate of your interests.
As long as China has other targets they might actually leave you alone. For a while. Until the Chinese discover you are holding a newly discovered core interest of China.
China wants what it wants. Peking doesn't even care how it looks. As long as they get what they want. And the belief that mere paper can stop China's aggressive acts is sorely mistaken.
