"The determination of the Chinese side to safeguard our own sovereignty and territorial integrity is as firm as a rock and it is unshakable," Wang said at a joint press conference with visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
"China's development on some of the islands and reefs in Nansha is something fully within the scope of China's sovereignty," Wang said.
As to the concerns of related parties, the minister said China is willing to dialogue with them to promote mutual understanding, and that such dialogues are already underway between China and ASEAN countries.
China is also willing to conduct necessary dialogue with the United States on the basis of mutual respect, Wang said.
He acknowledged that China and the U.S. do have differences on the South China Sea issue, but noted the two sides also share common ground.
"We are both committed to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea, and to safeguarding freedom of navigation as defined by international law. We both stand for dialogue so as to solve the disputes peacefully," Wang said.
"It's OK to have differences, but we must not misunderstand each other, and certainly we must avoid miscalculation," Wang said.
Xinhua - china.org.cn
17/5/15
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Related:
China ‘extremely concerned’ at US military plan in South China Sea
China cautions U.S. Navy on patrols in South China Sea...
Vietnam calls for restraint in South China Sea disputed islands issue...
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Related Xisha - Paracel Islands:
China, Vietnam agree to properly address disputes
China to oppose India-Vietnam oil deal 'within its waters'
Lighthouse construction on Xisha, Nansha "irreproachable". (Chinese FM)
China to Build Lighthouses on 5 Isles in Defiance of US Call
Related Spratly - Nansha Islands :
GR
FR
DE
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RU
EU
Vietnam opposes Chinese fishing ban in disputed sea...
ReplyDeleteVietnam said it resolutely opposes a Chinese ban on all fishing activities in a sea area that covers the Gulf of Tonkin, claiming the act to be a "worthless decision".
The ban on all fishing activities between May 16 and August 1 violates international law and Vietnam's sovereignty and jurisdictional rights, said a statement on the foreign ministry website late on Saturday.
China's move came as the two neighbors seek to patch up ties since a bilateral row erupted in May last year when China deployed a $1-billion oil rig in waters claimed by Vietnam. That lead to confrontation at sea between rival vessels and violent anti-Chinese protests in Vietnam.
Beijing claims more than 90 percent of the potentially energy-rich South China Sea, displaying its reach on official maps with a line that stretches deep into Southeast Asia.
It has recently stepped up its efforts to build up islands on shallow reefs in the disputed area.
Recently released satellite images show Vietnam has also carried out significant land reclamation at two sites in the disputed South China Sea, though the scale and pace of the work is dwarfed by that of China.
The Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims on the sea.
REUTERS
17/5/15
U.S. says South China Sea reclamations stoke instability...
ReplyDeleteChina's land reclamation around reefs in the disputed South China Sea is undermining freedom and stability, and risks provoking tension that could even lead to conflict, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken told a conference in Jakarta.
China claims 90 percent of the South China Sea, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas, its claims overlapping with those of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
Recent satellite images suggest China has made rapid progress in filling in land in contested territory in the Spratly islands and in building an airstrip suitable for military use and that it may be planning another.
"As China seeks to make sovereign land out of sandcastles and redraw maritime boundaries, it is eroding regional trust and undermining investor confidence," Blinken said.
"Its behavior threatens to set a new precedent whereby larger countries are free to intimidate smaller ones, and that provokes tensions, instability and can even lead to conflict."
The United States and China clashed over the dispute on Saturday, when visiting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged China to take action to reduce tension. China said its determination to protect its interests was "as hard as a rock". ......REUTERS