BEIJING, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- As the United States and the Philippines plan to hold joint military drills near disputed waters in the South China Sea from March to April, one can't help but raising questions about the real intentions behind Washington's pivot to the Asia-Pacific region.



Since the United States announced its "return" to the Asia-Pacific region with much fanfare late last year and rolled out a new defense strategy on Jan. 5, countries in the region have been wondering what all this fuss would mean to them.



For many people, they hope the United States, the world's sole superpower, will play a constructive role in promoting peace, prosperity and stability in the region.



But as the planned joint military drills show, the United States could become a destabilizing force in the region itself if it puts its power in the wrong places.



The United States and the Philippines have claimed that their proposed war games are not directed against other countries in the region, but the motive behind the planned joint drills is really dubious.



As to the issue of the South China Sea, the priority for all parties is to shelve disputes and refrain from taking radical measures to escalated the situation.



The United States, as an outside power, should work with all parties concerned to prevent tensions from getting out of control, rather than support one side or the other.



Instead of trying to arm the Philippines and stoking tensions, the United States should restrain the activist and provocative moves by its so-called ally.



After all, it is in the interests of all parties to maintain peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region, which has been considered as a major engine driving the global economy.



So far, Washington's performances have failed the good expectations of many people in the region. It should take concrete measures to back up its claim that its presence in Asia-Pacific is a positive contribution to regional peace.



For the Philippines, as signatory of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, it is obliged to honor its commitments and stop any provocative actions that could escalate the disputes.