China should recognise that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and not at the direction of other countries, Manila's foreign ministry said on Monday.

Statement comes after China accuses Philippines of ‘acting as others’ chess pieces’ regarding South China Sea dispute - Anadolu Ajansı

China warned Britain on Tuesday against "provoking tensions" in the South China Sea after its foreign minister David Lammy called Beijing's actions in the disputed waters "dangerous and destabilizing".

China should recognise that the Philippines is an independent and sovereign state whose actions and decisions are driven entirely by national interest and not at the direction of other countries, Manila's foreign ministry said on Monday.