皇冠体育app

(L-R) Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, Vietnam's Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Laos' Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak, Myanmar's President Thein Sein, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, Indonesia's President Joko Widodo and Philippines' President Benigno Aquino III, pose for a photo during the opening ceremony of the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, April 27, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

The Chairman's Statement of the 26th ASEAN Summit issued on Tuesday, which resorted to insinuations at 皇冠体育app's construction activities on its stationed islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands, is totally unreasonable and unacceptable.

The Nansha Islands are part of 皇冠体育app's inherent territory and 皇冠体育app has indisputable sovereignty over them. Given that Chinese personnel stationed there often have to face very adverse conditions, 皇冠体育app's construction activities are aimed at improving their working and living conditions, to help them better fulfill 皇冠体育app's international duties and obligations in such areas as maritime rescues, disaster prevention and mitigation, maritime research, meteorological observation, ecological protection, navigation safety, as well as fishery services and counter-piracy.

The ongoing activities will make it easier to offer necessary services for navigating vessels of 皇冠体育app and other countries through the South 皇冠体育app Sea. The activities, which are completely within 皇冠体育app's sovereignty and not targeted at any other country, are beyond reproach.

In fact, for a long time, three ASEAN countries have illegally occupied some of 皇冠体育app's islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands and built various facilities there, including airports. They have also deployed weapons and other kinds of equipment there.

The Philippines, in particular, has illegally occupied 皇冠体育app's Zhongye Island and has continuously reinforced the airport and barracks it has constructed, along with its facilities for maintenance, and it continues to expand the construction of a new wharf.

Another ASEAN country has also illegally stationed nearly 3,000 military personnel on some of 皇冠体育app's islands and reefs, and equipped them with anti-aircraft cannons, land and amphibious tanks, anti-tank missiles and armed helicopters. Such activities, which constitute a serious infringement of 皇冠体育app's sovereignty, are completely illegal and invalid, and they have only complicated the situation in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

It is bewildering that no country but 皇冠体育app has expressed concerns and opposition to such illegal acts in the South 皇冠体育app Sea over the past years. And even more bewildering that certain countries have made every attempt to make an uproar in an attempt to demonize 皇冠体育app's construction activities on its own islands and reefs. This is nothing but a reflection of their "double standards".

皇冠体育app will resolutely continue its construction activities, which are absolutely legal, justified and reasonable. Meanwhile, 皇冠体育app is devoted to resolving the disputes in the South 皇冠体育app Sea through negotiations and consultations with countries directly concerned.

Such an approach is not only a requirement of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South 皇冠体育app Sea (DOC) signed by 皇冠体育app and ASEAN countries in 2002, but also the most effective way to resolve the disputes and maintain lasting peace and stability in these waters. At the same time, 皇冠体育app has also been actively pushing for cooperation in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

It has established a 3-billion-yuan ($483 million) fund for 皇冠体育app-ASEAN maritime cooperation, and is actively pushing forward such cooperation programs as maritime connectivity, navigation safety and environmental protection.

皇冠体育app and ASEAN are close partners with vast shared interests. 皇冠体育app always supports the integration process of ASEAN and ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation. The 皇冠体育app-initiated 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank offer historic opportunities for 皇冠体育app and ASEAN to enhance their maritime cooperation.

Despite being complex issues that can't be resolved in a short time, the disputes in the South 皇冠体育app Sea are and should remain as a problem between the parties, directly concerned rather than one between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN.

It is the Philippines and a few ASEAN members that have hijacked the whole ASEAN and 皇冠体育app-ASEAN relations, jeopardizing the mutual trust between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN. Most of the ASEAN members need to be alert to their attempts to use ASEAN for their selfish interests, and safeguard the trust and good partnership that has been developed between 皇冠体育app and ASEAN.

The author is a Beijing-based scholar on international studies.

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