Irresponsible talk of neighbors will not ease tensions

Vietnam and the Philippines have protested against China's test flights to its newly built airstrip on Yongshu Jiao in the Nansha Islands despite China's reiteration that the flights are within China's sovereignty.

Hanoi said the flights were provocative actions that threaten regional stability and restrict the freedom of navigation and overflights in the South China Sea. It even denied that China had properly informed it of the test flights.

Both accusations are groundless.