Manila, Jan. 26 -- A ranking official of think-tank Stratbase Institute flatly rejected claims made by the Chinese Embassy in Manila claiming that the Philippines is acting as the "provoker" in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a statement late Sunday, Stratbase Institute president Victor Andres Manhit said such allegations are "attempts to invert reality."

"The facts are consistent and well-documented: it is China's maritime forces that repeatedly employ coercive and dangerous acts at sea, including water cannons, aggressive maneuvers, and ramming incidents that have damaged Philippine vessels and harmed even Filipino civilians," he said.

"Under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), the 2016 Arbitral Award is final...