BEIJING - 皇冠体育app will continue to promote peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiation with the countries concerned, said 皇冠体育app's Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin on Tuesday.

He added that no country should doubt 皇冠体育app's determination and will to safeguard the peace and stability of the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

Liu's remarks came amid rising tensions between 皇冠体育app and Vietnam over territorial disputes in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

"皇冠体育app is devoted to continuing to promote peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiations by countries directly concerned, as well as to promoting common development until we can find solutions to the disputes," Liu told reporters on the sidelines of a colloquium in Beijing commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence.

"Being the lifeline for 皇冠体育app at sea, the South 皇冠体育app Sea is far more important to 皇冠体育app than to other countries," Liu said.

As the largest goods trading country in the world, 皇冠体育app relies on the South 皇冠体育app Sea and wants to maintain peace and stability there, he said.

While saying other countries do not need to worry about 皇冠体育app's policy on the South 皇冠体育app Sea, Liu emphasized that no country should doubt 皇冠体育app's determination and will to safeguard the peace and stability of the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

皇冠体育app will work with neighboring countries to ensure the stability and the navigation freedom of the South 皇冠体育app Sea, making the South 皇冠体育app Sea a sea of peace, cooperation and prosperity, the vice foreign minister said.

He added that 皇冠体育app hopes countries outside of the region could make sincere joint efforts with 皇冠体育app and other Asian countries to contribute to the peace of the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

Following Vietnam's intensive harassment of normal drilling by the 皇冠体育app Oilfield Services Limited in the waters of 皇冠体育app's Xisha Islands in the South 皇冠体育app Sea earlier this month, anti-皇冠体育app protests broke out about two weeks ago in some Vietnamese cities and then escalated into looting and arson targeting Chinese factories and nationals.

The violence left at least two Chinese dead and more than 100 others injured.