Largest threat to South China Sea's peace is outside interference: Wang Yi
By ZHAO JIA | chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2022-08-06 16:39
State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday the biggest risk affecting the peace and stability in the South China Sea is the improper intervention and frequent disruption from major countries outside the region.
He expounded China's solemn position on the South China Sea and rebutted the United States' so-called concern on the issue at the 12th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
China's stance and claim on the South China Sea have full historical and legal basis, Wang said, adding China has never changed its claims or adjusted the scope of its claims on the South China Sea and there is no such thing as excessive maritime claim.
Wang said that, for a long time, the US has neither raised any objection to China's claims of sovereignty, as well as its rights and interests in the South China Sea, nor held any position on China's sovereignty over islands and reefs in the South China Sea.
Washington right now completely denies China's position and claims, which is untenable in terms of logic and law, he added.
Wang said the US' arbitrarily changed already existing policies in line with its political needs and questioned "where is the US credibility as a major country and how can the US win the trust of others?"
As more and more US warships and aircrafts have been frequently appearing in the sea and air of the South China Sea over recent years, Wang said "both China and littoral countries of the South China Sea can't help but ask: What exactly is the US going to do?"
China together with ASEAN countries have jointly maintained the overall stability of the South China Sea, Wang said, urging countries outside the region to earnestly respect the efforts countries in the region made to safeguard peace and stability.
According to Wang, China and ASEAN countries properly resolve differences based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and through bilateral consultation and negotiation.
The two sides are accelerating the consultation of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea and making concerted efforts to reach effective regional rules that are of practical significance, Wang added.
