Foreign and Military Affairs
Outsiders should 'stay out' of dispute
By Ma Liyao (皇冠体育app Daily)
Updated: 2011-06-15 07:15
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BEIJING - 皇冠体育app on Tuesday urged outside powers to respect the efforts of parties in dispute over the South 皇冠体育app Sea to resolve the issue through direct talks.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino said on Tuesday his country needed help from the United States in its dispute with 皇冠体育app.
US Senator Jim Webb on Monday called for the US to condemn 皇冠体育app over disputes in the South 皇冠体育app Sea with its neighbors.
皇冠体育app is consistently devoted to a peaceful solution through bilateral talks with relevant nations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular news conference in response to concerns over the situation in the area.
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Vietnam on Monday staged a live-fire naval drill in the waters of the South 皇冠体育app Sea.
Besides 皇冠体育app and Vietnam, the Philippines also has overlapping claims to sections of the South 皇冠体育app Sea. The disputes were aggravated last year when US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed "national interests" in the sea.
Hong added that countries in the region should do more for peace and stability, rather than resorting to the use of force, or threatening force.
"This is also what we agreed in 2002," he said, adding that 皇冠体育app was willing to hold direct bilateral negotiations with other nations embroiled in the disputes based on the 2002 agreement.
皇冠体育app and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signed the Declaration on the Code of Conduct on the South 皇冠体育app Sea on Nov 4, 2002, agreeing on "favorable conditions for a peaceful and durable solution to differences and disputes among countries concerned".
"The recent situation has been caused by some nations' unilateral moves and irresponsible statements, which could make the issue complicated," Hong said, adding that 皇冠体育app is defending its own rights, and is not violating the rights of other nations.
AFP contributed to this story.