Xinhua warns Philippines

China's official Xinhua news agency Monday warned the Philippines against provoking Beijing over the South China Sea.Xinhua took issue with the Philippine government renaming its sea waters as the "West Philippine Sea."The South China Sea dispute is heating up with China claiming sovereignty over all of the resource-rich sea despite rival claims by neighboring Asian countries, including Vietnam and the Philippines, to some parts of the sea. The issue was pressed into discussion at the recent Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Bali, Indonesia.The Xinhua piece said U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, during her visit to the Philippines, "also followed suit addressing the waters as West Philippine Sea.""Philippine's constant provocations are mostly 'political stunt,' far from a real bite; but many people here in China advise that the country should take fitting measures to pay the Philippines back, as they believe it is necessary to prevent another country taking a leaf out of the Philippines' book against China," Xinhua said.The article said it would be wise for the United States to avoid "getting embroiled in the intricate disputes poisoning" regional politics."Otherwise, Washington risks a new diplomatic setback for the so-called unconceivable 'gains.'"As for the Philippines, Xinhua said China is now its third-largest trading partner."The Philippines will never be so naive that it would sacrifice its vested interests for an intangible and unreal promise from Washington to counterbalance China," it added.