"South China Sea dispute should be laid aside
China firmly holds the stance that the dispute in the South China Sea should be solved through peaceful negotiation. Signed in November 2002 by China and ASEAN countries, the declaration aims to maintain stability, enhance mutual trust and boost cooperation in the South China Sea and create a sound condition and environment for the countries concerned in solving the disputes. However, the regional situation has never been peaceful over the past nine years.
Shen Jiru, research fellow with the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that countries in surrounding areas, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines, misunderstood China's sincerity of peace and took China's forbearance and patience as a sign of weakness. They invaded and occupied the islands and reefs that belonged to China on both historical and legal bases."
China firmly holds the stance that the dispute in the South China Sea should be solved through peaceful negotiation. Signed in November 2002 by China and ASEAN countries, the declaration aims to maintain stability, enhance mutual trust and boost cooperation in the South China Sea and create a sound condition and environment for the countries concerned in solving the disputes. However, the regional situation has never been peaceful over the past nine years.
Shen Jiru, research fellow with the Institute of World Economics and Politics under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that countries in surrounding areas, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines, misunderstood China's sincerity of peace and took China's forbearance and patience as a sign of weakness. They invaded and occupied the islands and reefs that belonged to China on both historical and legal bases."
Teng Jianqun, research fellow with the China Institute of International Studies, said that the Declaration had played a crucial role in maintaining peace and stability in South China Sea. Neighboring countries have never launched a military occupation since the declaration was signed. Because the declaration is legally binding, Vietnam and the Philippines changed their mode of invasion from military occupation to seizure of oil, gas and other resources and continuously expanded the scope and intensity.
Resources exploration complicates the issue. Teng said that China had put forward the principle of "maintaining sovereignty, shelving disputes and co-developing resources." Now some countries agree to shelve the dispute but explore the resources individually.
Shen said that the aforementioned principles were in accordance with both the historical fact and theory of law. But countries like Vietnam and the Philippines took measures of nibbling at China's islands and reefs, taking exclusive possession of natural resources and making the issue international and more complicated by introducing a third party to discriminate against China. But ASEAN did not lose its mind.
China and ASEAN member nations adopted the guideline to implement the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" at the recently concluded ASEAN-China (10+1) Foreign Ministers' meeting. The principle embodies China's stance of "shelving disputes and co-developing resources."
According to the sixth clause, pending a comprehensive and durable settlement of the disputes, the parties concerned may explore or undertake cooperative activities. It is said that, with the guideline, all the countries concerned will enhance mutual trust, narrow disputes and pave the way for solving the conflict.
Shen said that the aforementioned principles were in accordance with both the historical fact and theory of law. But countries like Vietnam and the Philippines took measures of nibbling at China's islands and reefs, taking exclusive possession of natural resources and making the issue international and more complicated by introducing a third party to discriminate against China. But ASEAN did not lose its mind.
China and ASEAN member nations adopted the guideline to implement the "Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea" at the recently concluded ASEAN-China (10+1) Foreign Ministers' meeting. The principle embodies China's stance of "shelving disputes and co-developing resources."
According to the sixth clause, pending a comprehensive and durable settlement of the disputes, the parties concerned may explore or undertake cooperative activities. It is said that, with the guideline, all the countries concerned will enhance mutual trust, narrow disputes and pave the way for solving the conflict.
