Emphasis is on South China Sea peace, stability
Source: Agencies |
November 21, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
CHINESE Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday that China lays emphasis on peace, stability, free navigation and security in the South China Sea.
Speaking at the East Asia Summit in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, Wen said free navigation and security are fully guaranteed in the area.
China hopes the international sea lanes across the South China Sea will be more fully used as the world economy recovers, he said.
US President Barack Obama said the United States hopes to resolve regional hotspot issues through peaceful means, and will not take a position in issues concerning sovereign and territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
"President Obama's message is there needs to be a reduction of the tensions," Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said. "There is no reason to risk any potential escalation, particularly when you have two of the world's largest economies - China and Japan - associated with some of those disputes."
The Philippines lodged a formal protest against summit host Cambodia yesterday, accusing it trying to stifle discussion on the South China Sea when leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met on Monday.
But China defended its stand not to discuss the issue at multilateral forums. It prefers to deal with claimants on a bilateral basis.
"We do not want to bring the disputes to an occasion like this," Wen said. "We do not want to give over-emphasis to the territorial disputes and differences, and we don't think it's a good idea to spread a sense of tension in this region."
Several leaders at the summit raised the South China Sea issue, including a dispute over Huangyan Island, where Philippine and Chinese ships faced off in April. That prompted a firm response from China.
"The Huangyan Island is China's territory," Wen told the summit. "China's act of defending its sovereignty is necessary and legitimate."
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Sunday that Southeast Asian leaders agreed not to internationalize the row over the South China Sea and to confine talks to between ASEAN and China - a claim disputed by Philippine President Benigno Aquino.
Philippine Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario said his delegation had been shocked when a Cambodian official told reporters that ASEAN leaders had reached a consensus at their summit.
"Consensus means everybody. I was there, the president was there and we're saying we're not with it because there's no consensus," he said.
Speaking at the East Asia Summit in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, Wen said free navigation and security are fully guaranteed in the area.
China hopes the international sea lanes across the South China Sea will be more fully used as the world economy recovers, he said.
US President Barack Obama said the United States hopes to resolve regional hotspot issues through peaceful means, and will not take a position in issues concerning sovereign and territorial disputes in the South China Sea and East China Sea.
"President Obama's message is there needs to be a reduction of the tensions," Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes said. "There is no reason to risk any potential escalation, particularly when you have two of the world's largest economies - China and Japan - associated with some of those disputes."
The Philippines lodged a formal protest against summit host Cambodia yesterday, accusing it trying to stifle discussion on the South China Sea when leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations met on Monday.
But China defended its stand not to discuss the issue at multilateral forums. It prefers to deal with claimants on a bilateral basis.
"We do not want to bring the disputes to an occasion like this," Wen said. "We do not want to give over-emphasis to the territorial disputes and differences, and we don't think it's a good idea to spread a sense of tension in this region."
Several leaders at the summit raised the South China Sea issue, including a dispute over Huangyan Island, where Philippine and Chinese ships faced off in April. That prompted a firm response from China.
"The Huangyan Island is China's territory," Wen told the summit. "China's act of defending its sovereignty is necessary and legitimate."
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Sunday that Southeast Asian leaders agreed not to internationalize the row over the South China Sea and to confine talks to between ASEAN and China - a claim disputed by Philippine President Benigno Aquino.
Philippine Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario said his delegation had been shocked when a Cambodian official told reporters that ASEAN leaders had reached a consensus at their summit.
"Consensus means everybody. I was there, the president was there and we're saying we're not with it because there's no consensus," he said.
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