US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has recently declared that the United States would not take sides on the competing sovereignty claims to land features in the South China Sea, which had been confirmed by Philippine officials. This is a positive signal and is beneficial to the cooling of the South China Sea issue.

Recently, the sovereignty dispute over the South China Sea became serious. The related claimants should directly negotiate and reach a consensus in a peaceful manner based on the spirit of seeking truth from facts.

The Philippines constantly gave offense to the sovereignty of China and even sent warships to prevent Chinese fishermen from operating in Chinese waters. Analysts said that the reason why some countries are so unbridled may be related with the adjusted geo-strategy of the United States.

The United States had signed a Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines. The treaty is defensive rather than aggressive in nature. It is a basic fact that China owns the sovereignty of the Huangyan Island, which China had declared to the world and the international community also approved.

It also is a basic fact that the sovereignty of the Philippines does not extend to the Huangyan Island, which is accepted by the international community. The US-Philippines MDT stated that the United States only has the obligation to defend the territory of Philippines rather than Chinese land coveted by the Philippines.

The joint defense between the United States and the Philippines deserves recognition and even respect and it will be a favorable factor to stabilize the situation in the South China Sea as long as the United States insists on joint defense and opposes to joint infringement and external expansion by its ally.

However, the United States recently talks less about the historical attribution of the Huangyan Island, but more about defending the Philippines. The purposed ambiguity of the United States will connive its irresponsible ally and it will have to bear the corresponding consequences eventually.

The Philippines should take the consequences for its defiance. There is no reason that American people make sacrifices for its irresponsible ally.

The Huangyan Island belongs to China, to which Philippines had no objection. The Xisha and Nansha Islands belong to China, which South and North Vietnam had publicly acknowledged. Therefore, Vietnam today should also accept it from the International Law. If these countries have any new mindset, they can discuss with the related countries rather than plunder.

The great powers have responsibility of persuading the irresponsible countries to realize their errors and mending their ways. The neutrality of the United States deserves affirmation but we need to see not only what it will say but also what it will do.