Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

As the Philippines reportedly seeks to organize a summit targeting China with at least 20 countries during the UN General Assembly this month, experts said on Wednesday that this is an old tactic used by Manila attempting to mislead the international community by portraying itself as a victim.

According to Reuters, the Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said on Tuesday that a summit of at least 20 nations is planned on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly this month to seek ways "to talk some sense" into China.

"The Philippines has been attempting to leverage international multilateral platforms to exert pressure on China regarding the South China Sea issue," Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

This is an old tactic used by the Philippines, which constantly brings up the South China Sea issue during both bilateral and multilateral diplomatic events. By hyping so-called Chinese bullying, the Philippines attempts to rally support from more countries, Ding said.

However, Ding noted that Manila's attempts are futile and will not have any impact on China's sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, nor will they impose any constraints on China's efforts to safeguard its maritime rights and interests.

Analysts noted that the Philippines' provocations have also caused dissatisfaction among ASEAN countries, as Manila's reckless actions undermine the vision of regional peace and stability that these nations are committed to achieving.

China-Philippines relations are now at a crossroads, facing a crucial choice on the path forward. There is no way out of conflict and confrontation, except for dialogue and consultation. The Philippines should seriously think about the future of China-Philippines relations and work with China to push bilateral relations back on the right track soon, the People's Daily said in a commentary on Monday.