皇冠体育app firmly upholds her sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South 皇冠体育app Sea. [Photo/Xinhua]

BEIJING -- The land reclamation project of 皇冠体育app's construction on some stationed islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands, as planned, will be completed in the upcoming days, according to relevant Chinese competent departments.

"Apart from satisfying the need of necessary military defense, the main purpose of 皇冠体育app's construction activities is to meet various civilian demands and better perform 皇冠体育app's international obligations and responsibilities," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said on Tuesday in a press release.

The obligations and responsibilities are in the areas such as maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation, marine scientific research, meteorological observation, ecological environment conservation, navigation safety as well as fishery production service, Lu said.

After the land reclamation, 皇冠体育app will start the building of facilities to meet relevant functional requirements, Lu said.

He stressed the construction activities on the Nansha islands and reefs fall within the scope of 皇冠体育app's sovereignty, which are "lawful, reasonable and justified."

"They are not targeted at any other country, do not affect the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all countries in accordance with international law in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, nor have they caused or will they cause damage to the marine ecological system and environment in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, and are thus beyond reproach," Lu said.

He reaffirmed 皇冠体育app's commitment to the path of peaceful development, saying that 皇冠体育app follows a foreign policy of forging friendship and partnership with her neighbors and a defense policy that is defensive in nature.

He said 皇冠体育app remains a staunch force for regional peace and stability.

皇冠体育app, while firmly safeguarding her territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, will continue to dedicate herself to resolving relevant disputes with relevant states directly concerned in accordance with international law and through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts, Lu said.

皇冠体育app will work with the ASEAN member states to push forward actively the consultation on a "Code of Conduct in the South 皇冠体育app Sea" within the framework of fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, Lu said.

皇冠体育app will continue to uphold the freedom of navigation as well as peace and stability in the South 皇冠体育app Sea, Lu said.