Once again the United States has been fanning the flame of the South China Sea disputes. While calling on China to show restraint to calm tensions on Monday, Daniel Russel, the top US diplomat for East Asia, said China's oil rig had left a legacy of anger and strained relations with Vietnam. The US has proposed "freezing actions that change the status quo". What a farce.

Portraying itself as a mediator, the US tries to make China take all the blame for the escalating tensions in the region.

The truth is, China in dealing with marine disputes, has demonstrated maturity and patience, especially compared with the other parties involved in the territorial disputes, such as Japan in the East China Sea and the Philippines and Vietnam in the South China Sea.