Orchestrated stunts by the US with allies display selfish intent

FAN CHANGLONG, vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission, visited the country's Nansha Islands, according to a statement released by the Defense Ministry on Friday. The statement was released shortly before a visit by US Defense Secretary Ash Carter to the US aircraft carrier John C. Stennis on the final day of joint naval exercises by the US and the Philippines. People's Daily Overseas Edition commented on Monday:

In fact, since last year, Washington has made several muscle-flexing attempts to challenge Beijing on the South China Sea issue. In October, the guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen sailed through the 12-nautical-mile waters around a Chinese isle in the name of "freedom of navigation". A month later two US B52 bombers resorted to similar tricks.

Accompanied by his Philippine counterpart Voltaire Gazmin, Carter landed aboard a US aircraft carrier navigating in the South China Sea, in a clear attempt to display the strategic alliance and closeness shared by the two countries.