Calming troubled waters

A political storm continues to gather over the South China Sea issue despite China's restraint and efforts to bring the disputes under control.

No sooner had Beijing and Hanoi sent a positive signal on Sunday that they were easing their tensions over the maritime territory, than the Philippines and the United States made a reckless move to escalate the situation.

The two launched a naval exercise on Tuesday close to the disputed waters. Both sides emphasized it was an annual event aimed at deepening their defense ties. But given the simmering territorial row, their show of force has inevitably raised the temperature and does a disservice to attempts to find a peaceful solution.