As Manila softened its attitude over the Huangyan Island incident while displaying gamesmanship under the table, analysts called for a more substantial demonstration of goodwill from the Southeast Asian nation.

According to China Review, Noel Servigon, Philippine consul general in Hong Kong, expressed optimism that war would not break out in the South China Sea, saying that Beijing and Manila could settle the dispute in an amicable way.

Considering there is no ambassador in Beijing, and Servigon is a senior Philippine diplomat in China, his remarks could be seen as the prominent voice of Manila, said Ren Yuanzhe, a researcher at China Foreign Affairs University.