Ex-diplomat: Philippines must forgo provocations

The Philippines "must be dissuaded from making any further provocation in the South China Sea, or otherwise China will not sit by idly", a former senior Chinese leader warned on Tuesday.

Former state councilor Dai Bingguo made the remark at a dialogue on the South China Sea between Chinese and US think tanks in Washington.

He said that although China possesses the ability to recover the islands that were illegally occupied by other countries, "in the interest of regional peace and stability, China has all along exercised enormous restraint".