‘Wrong remarks’ on South China Sea
Print Edition
CHINA issued a formal protest yesterday after Australia said it would continue to exercise its right to freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea.
On Tuesday, China rejected a ruling by an arbitration court in The Hague that it had no historic claim to the waters.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop urged “all South China Sea claimants” to resolve disputes peacefully, but said Australia would keep exercising its international rights in the area, and support the right of others to do the same.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said China had formally protested at Australia’s “wrong remarks,” and hoped it would do nothing to harm regional peace and stability.
“Honestly speaking, I’m a bit shocked at Bishop’s comments,” Lu said. Australia should join the majority of the international community in not taking the result of the “illegal outcome” of the case as international law.
“We hope that Australia can set more store by international law, and not treat it as a game,” Lu added.
While China and Australia have close business ties, including a free trade agreement, Canberra is also a strong security ally of the United States.
Bishop told ABC radio on Wednesday that China’s reputation would suffer as a result of the tribunal ruling, stressing that relations with the international community were crucial to its rise as a superpower.
Meanwhile, in Ulan Bator yesterday, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang told his Vietnamese counterpart he hoped Vietnam would join with China in safeguarding peace and stability in the South China Sea. Li repeated China’s stance that the South China Sea issue should be solved through bilateral negotiation by relevant parties on the basis of historical facts and international law.
He was meeting Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc ahead of their attendance at the two-day 11th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit which opens in the Mongolian capital today.
Phuc said Vietnam respects China’s stance on the ruling and that disputes should be solved peacefully through negotiation.
Li said the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea had helped maintain peace and stability since it was signed in 2002 by China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states, including the Philippines. It stipulates that parties concerned undertake to resolve disputes by peaceful means, through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned.
On bilateral ties, Li said China-Vietnam relations had shown positive momentum since last year. He said the two sides should actively expand people-to-people exchanges and foster closer friendships, particularly among young people.
Phuc said Vietnam saw its ties with China as a top priority.
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