China urges Philippines to maintain peace and regional stability

A spokesman for China's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday urged the Philippines to act in ways that are conducive to regional peace and stability. "We hope the relevant party will do more things that are conducive to regional peace and stability," spokesman Liu Weimin told a daily press briefing, noting that China hopes to see peace and stability maintained in the Asia-Pacific region. Liu's remarks came after Philippine President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Monday that the country may ask the United States to deploy spy planes over the South China Sea to help monitor "the disputed waters." Sovereignty of a small group of islands in the South China Sea have been a source of dispute between the two countries.