Chinese propaganda was in full force yesterday as the country's state media again referred to the Philippines' removal of the floating barrier as done to further the interest of the Americans.
The narrative that China wants the world to follow is that the actions of the Philippines are all being dictated by the United States, to which the country has a long history of subservience.
Thus, the Philippines' sovereign interests are really at stake in the challenges to China's aggressive assertions.
Beijing's propaganda mill has been busy since the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement increased from five to nine the number of Philippine military bases US forces have access to.
It initially raised the bogey of the broader military pact being the launch pad for an American defense of Taiwan if China attacked, which is farthest from the truth since it presumes that Filipinos would be stupid enough to risk their country for another's interest.
The latest volley from China was related to removing the floating barrier that cordoned off Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc to Filipino fishermen. The Philippine Coast Guard should check the contraption to determine where it was manufactured.
Recall the suspicion that the rocks and other materials used for China's reclamation of Philippine islands had come from Zambales with the collusion of local government officials.
Wang Wenbin, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, said the Philippine statement was just what it wanted to believe itself.
"China's resolve in safeguarding its sovereignty and maritime rights and interests over Huangyan Island (Scarborough Shoal) is unwavering. We call on the Philippines not to make provocations or stir up trouble," Wang said.
Moreover, China parrots the line that opening four additional military bases was a move "to win US support for its claims in the South China Sea."
The US then wants to exploit the Philippines so that "it can intervene in the Taiwan question and the South China Sea issue from a closer range."
The US is using the Philippines as a pawn in its campaign to "contain China," according to the propaganda minions.
EDCA was an offshoot of the Mutual Defense Treaty, a post-World War II pact in which the Philippines and the United States committed to come to each other's aid in case of attack.
Based on the hype generated in Beijing, the Philippines has made several "failed" attempts to deliver building materials to reinforce the "grounded warship" on China's Ren'ai Jiao, also known as Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, since August.
Indeed, attempts to reinforce the BRP Sierra Madre ended in a cat-and-mouse chase that succeeded, revealing that China is out of touch with reality.
Also, the Sierra Madre is not a warship but a landing craft. It is an LST 542-class tank landing ship, previously known as the USS Harnett County, built for the United States Navy during World War II.
The paid hacks and lapdogs of the Chinese government want to create an image that the venture between the Philippines and the US is meant to contain Beijing.
The fundamental issue, however, remains the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, or UNCLOS, that has under it the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, or ITLOS.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration, or PCA, issued the 2016 ruling favoring the Philippines was formed under ITLOS.
Thus, UNCLOS invalidated China's historical claims and upheld the exclusive economic zone from which the Philippines can derive economic benefits.
Any argument that strays from the guiding principle must be treated with a grain of salt, if not doused with cold water.
