US stand on reef is wrong

WHEN THE US STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY Spokesperson Marie Harf accused China of making a provocative and destabilizing move by blocking a Philippines supply vessel from approaching Ren'ai Reef in the South China Sea on Sunday, the United States was clearly siding with the Philippines.

True, one of China's Coast Guard ships did block a Philippine vessel from approaching the reef, but this is because China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, which include this reef.

China has the obligation to safeguard its own territory, and although the US is a treaty ally of the Philippines, it should respect this fact.