“We are not neutral when it comes to adhering to international law. We will come down forcefully when it comes to following the rules,” U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel said in response to a question raised by a Chinese participant during a keynote speech delivered at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He also said China’s view of U.S. “neutral position” in the South China Sea was a misunderstanding.

Earlier, Admiral Scott Swift, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet on July 20 confirmed that he had been aboard a seven-hour surveillance flight over the South China Sea.

All these words and actions by US officials make Chinese observers and scholars here believe they are behind the back of the Philippines and Japan to confront China.

Liutao，Deputy head of the Research Center for Maritime Sea of China Institute for South China studies, told Global Times that US “taking sides” just makes things worse in the South China Sea, adding that the peace and stability in the area can only be achieved by cooperation and mutual-trust among counties surrounding the South China Sea.