Manila: The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Monday dismissed Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's remarks that incidents in the South China Sea (SCS) are "staged under the direction of other countries": The Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and the interests and well-being of the Filipino people, the DFA stated.

According to Philippines News Agency, China previously compared the SCS dispute with the Philippines to a 'shadow play' and warned that 'those acting as others' chess pieces are bound to be discarded.' Wang Yi alleged that there is a screenplay written by external forces for every move of the Philippines on the sea, claiming that the show is livestreamed by Western media with a plot to smear China.

The DFA countered these claims by emphasizing that no creative analogy or play of words will mask the real issue, which is China's refusal to abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and the 2016 Arbitral Award. The DFA highlighted the adverse effects of China's disregard for the rules-based international order on Filipino communities affected by China's behavior at sea.

The agency called on countries to be circumspect and to avoid actions and words that contribute to tensions in the region.