(VOVworld) – President of the Philippines, Benigno Aquino, has warned that Beijing may seek to repeat its tactic of exploring for oil in disputed areas of the East Sea, this time in waters close to its coastline. In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr. Aquino said China was playing a “dangerous game of brinkmanship and gunboat diplomacy” that could spiral out of control. The president added he had received reports about the recent intrusion by a Chinese research ship near the Philippine oilfield of Galoc about 60 miles off the coast of the island province of Palawan. He said “normally what happens to Vietnam eventually happens to the Philippines,” referring to what he depicted as a pattern of escalation by Beijing against several countries with which it has territorial disputes. The President urged Beijing to avoid unilateral actions that contravened a 2002 declaration of conduct it had signed. He said the ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, some of which have overlapping territorial claims with China, should present a “stronger and clearer voice” about how to resolve such disputes in line with international law.