**ISTANBUL**
The Philippines on Monday dismissed remarks by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi that incidents in the South China Sea are "staged under the direction of other countries," the Philippine News Agency reported.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state and that its actions and decisions are guided exclusively by national interests.
The statement came after China previously compared the South China Sea dispute with the Philippines to a “shadow play,” warning that “those acting as others’ chess pieces are bound to be discarded.”
Wang had said that external forces have scripted every move the Philippines makes in the sea, with an attempt to tarnish China's reputation.
"No creative analogy or play of words will mask the real issue, which is China’s refusal to abide by international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea),” the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
The department underscored that China’s “illegal, coercive, aggressive and deceptive behavior at sea” negatively impacts the Philippines.
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