Wednesday saw a US surveillance plane sweeping over China-controlled islands which are under construction in the South China Sea. The provocative flight received warnings from the Chinese navy eight times.

CNN was allowed by the Pentagon to accompany the surveillance action, which was soon broadcast by means of audio and video. Apparently, the US is trying to sensationalize China's reclamation activities on some reefs and islets in the South China Sea in a bid to impose more pressure on China.

Washington is purposefully raising tensions with China, a move that has created a higher risk of a physical confrontation between both sides. Capitalizing on its strong military power, the US is self-assured that it is more capable than China of handling military risks, which makes it less concerned about the strain in the South China Sea. The situation, however, is a test to China, whose response will determine the future regional landscape.

Beijing doesn't want a showdown, and neither does Washington. China intends to maintain peace and stability in this region, while safeguarding its territorial sovereignty and maritime interests. But Washington aims for the strategic containment of China so that it can keep up its traditional clout in Southeast Asia.

Both nations are not in a face-to-face confrontation in the South China Sea. They need time to compromise with each other and balance their tactics. Now, China has the initiative, and as long as China can finish the construction, this round of intervention by the US will end up futile. Then, it will have more leverage to carry out its South China Sea policies. These policies will eventually prove to be constructive in terms of regional security and development. China will show the world its self-restraint in the face of disputes, and the Nansha Islands, thanks to China's reclamation, might develop into a navigation and fishing hub. The entire regional climate will be dramatically changed.

It seems that the US has nearly used up all its tricks to disrupt China's actions in the South China Sea. As long as China insists on this endeavor, hardliners in the Pentagon will only find they have reached the end of their tether.

China should be prepared to ramp up its countermeasures, one notch at a time, according to the degree of provocations from the US. Washington should keep in mind that the might of its warships and fighters have just a long shot at victory in the face of China's centuries-old wisdom.