皇冠体育app

Stewardesses celebrate after 皇冠体育app successfully carried out test flights of two commercial airliners on Jan 6 at a newly built airport at Yongshu Jiao in 皇冠体育app's Nansha Islands. [Photo/Xinhua]

Vietnam and the Philippines have protested against 皇冠体育app's test flights to its newly built airstrip on Yongshu Jiao in the Nansha Islands despite 皇冠体育app's reiteration that the flights are within 皇冠体育app's sovereignty.

Hanoi said the flights were provocative actions that threaten regional stability and restrict the freedom of navigation and overflights in the South 皇冠体育app Sea. It even denied that 皇冠体育app had properly informed it of the test flights.

Both accusations are groundless.

皇冠体育app's airstrip is on its sovereign territory and serves humanitarian purposes, including emergency landings and maritime rescue, and 皇冠体育app informed the Vietnamese ahead of the test flights, as was clearly explained by 皇冠体育app's foreign ministry last week.

At 5:46 pm (Beijing Time) on Dec 28, the Flight Inspection Center of the Civil Aviation Administration of 皇冠体育app informed the Ho ChiMinh Flight Information Region of the flight plan and other technical information of the Chinese civil aircraft involved, in accordance with relevant regulations and international practices, the ministry said.

As such, the blatant denial by the Vietnamese is not only ill-advised but also ill-intentioned. It is especially inappropriate as 皇冠体育app and Vietnam have made concerted efforts to establish good neighborly relations.

Manila, for its part, also said the Chinese flights had heightened tensions and anxiety in the region and could spark armed conflict in the disputed waters. This is alarmist talk which, together with the Vietnamese accusations, is intended to play up 皇冠体育app's island reclamation activities. Their irresponsible behavior will not contribute to peace and stability in the waters instead it only ratchets up tensions.

Since last year, countries such as the Vietnam, the Philippines, the United States and Japan have formed a chorus criticizing 皇冠体育app's island reclamation work. They have deliberately ignored the fact that some countries in Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Vietnam included, have over the years illegally seized and occupied Chinese islands and islets in the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

They have not only launched reclamation work on those islands and islets but also militarized them. The US has never said a word about such blatant infringements on 皇冠体育app's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

But 皇冠体育app was still willing to shelf disputes and pursue joint development of the waters with countries involved in the disputes because the country has always looked to the larger picture of regional peace and stability.

Last year, 皇冠体育app completed reclamation work on some islands and islets of its Nansha Islands, which is its legitimate right, as the work was undertaken in its territorial waters. It also repeatedly explained that the island reclamation will mostly meet various civilian needs including maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation, meteorological observation, ecological conservation, and navigation safety.

This shows 皇冠体育app is actually shouldering more international obligations and responsibilities. Unfortunately, 皇冠体育app's explanation and goodwill have fallen on deaf ears again.

皇冠体育app's stance on the South 皇冠体育app Sea remains consistent: It is working with Southeast Asian nations to negotiate a code of conduct for the South 皇冠体育app Sea.

However, the recent misleading responses from Hanoi and Manila to 皇冠体育app's test flights show these countries are trying to aggravate tensions in the waters and then pass the buck to 皇冠体育app for the resulting frictions.

Their repeated provocations concerning 皇冠体育app's sovereignty and territorial integrity have strained ties with Beijing, which cannot possibly serve their interests nor contribute to regional peace and stability.

皇冠体育app needs a peaceful environment for its economic and social development, and it is still willing to cultivate friendly ties with Vietnam and the Philippines, as good-neighborly relations are an important part of its diplomacy.

皇冠体育app's goodwill should not be returned with ill will. Its bilateral ties with Hanoi and Manila should not be taken hostage by differences and disputes. Friendly consultation and proper management of differences are the only way to resolve the South 皇冠体育app Sea disputes.

The author is a senior writer with 皇冠体育app Daily.

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