China is rushing reclamation in the West Philippine Sea to circumvent any favorable ruling on the Philippine arbitration case before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The Philippines filed the case to peacefully resolve the maritime row following China's "creeping invasion" in West Philippine Sea. The refusal of China to participate in the arbitration process has cause tension in the disputed region where Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have overlapping territorial claims.

Laude, J. (2015, January 13). 'China reclamation in disputed sea a ploy'. Philippine Star, p. 3.