Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

As the general debate of the 79th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly is set to open on Tuesday, experts warn that the Philippines may "hijack" the UN platform to promote its own agenda by asserting its illegal claims in the South China Sea, given that Manila has previously stated its plan to hold a summit involving at least 20 countries targeting China on the sidelines of the General Assembly.

The general debate will conclude on September 30, with the theme "Leaving no one behind: acting together for the advancement of peace, sustainable development and human dignity for present and future generations," according to the UN website.

Earlier this month, the Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said that a summit of at least 20 nations is planned on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to seek ways "to talk some sense" into China, Reuters reported.

"The Philippines is attempting to highlight its illegal maritime claims through roping in extra-regional countries, especially the US and its allies, on international multilateral occasions, which is a consistent practice of the Philippines aiming to hype the South China Sea issue," Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times on Monday.

Manila is also trying to continue its so-called victim narrative and claim the "China threat" rhetoric, in an attempt to mislead the international community, Ding said.

Experts emphasized that none of the Philippines' actions will have any legal bearing on China's sovereignty and maritime rights. "Any of its provocations or exaggerations will be met with effective countermeasures from China," Ding said. 

Chinese experts also underscored that the primary external factor driving the ongoing provocations from the Philippines is the support from the US. 

"Without US involvement, China and the Philippines might address their differences in a more rational and objective way. However, it is precisely Washington's influence behind the scenes that emboldens Manila to engage in more provocative actions," Ding said, noting that this will not yield any positive outcomes and will hinder the resolution of the disputed issues.