The Philippines is being used by the US merely as a pawn to serve the strategic interests of the US. It is precisely because we have seen through this that we choose to resist the South China Sea arbitration -- a political farce under the cloak of law -- and reject any award that comes out of the arbitration.

The foreign policy of a sovereign country is closely associated with making friends, but foreign policy is not the only factor. With the ongoing implementation of its policy of reform and opening-up, China continues to make more new friends with developing and developed countries. Now, China has established economic, trade and cultural relations with almost all countries and regions in the world – all without benefit of a military-alliance system.

Whereas aircraft carriers have long provided the U.S. naval primacy as floating islands, China is creating its own artificial islands, complete with deep channels, harbors, berthing areas and airfields, all manned by thousands of troops, to counter that primacy. The consequences of a military clash could easily be disastrous and must be avoided. The politics of keeping the overall U.S.-China relationship on track is a particular challenge in the U.S. during a presidential election year, when candidates are posturing to an unexpectedly populist electorate.

As we enter a new age of globalization with ever deepening economic interdependence and widening gap between rich and poor, cultural interactions and mutual enrichment among nations become the essential determinant in global governance.

Mutual accommodation and respect for each other’s core interests will guarantee security for all. The construction of a new regional security framework has to be based on the principle of “common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security for all concerned”, as proposed by President Xi Jinping.

China's failure to appear in court demonstrates its continued position of "non-acceptance and non-participation" in the arbitration unilaterally initiated by the Philippines. This arbitration could set a precedent that undermines the true spirit of the dispute settlement mechanism of UNCLOS.

Global developments have led China to take a more proactive approach in dealing with international issues in 2015 that saw China transition to practicing “major-country” diplomacy. As U.S.-China relations are turning more contentious and competitive, the two countries must seek convergence of common interests and avoid conflict and confrontation.

Legal fixation on West Philippine Sea islands limits Philippine action and fails to take into account evolving realities and dynamics, notably increasing U.S.-China competition that blurs and shifts alliances, compelling smaller powers to be more cautious and contributing to overall regional anxiety and instability.

Beijing’s global outlook is strategically forward-looking, inclusive and peaceful. It not only serves as the theoretical foundation for the development of China’s foreign affairs, but also helps inject fresh Chinese wisdom in building a new type of international relations.

China and the U.S. are waging a bitter but so far nonviolent struggle in Burma. And the U.S. appears to be winning. For Burma, opening to the West was the answer; sanctions were eased, Western leaders rushed to visit, and business investment flowed in.