Beijing comments situation in South China Sea

Chisinau, 24 May /MOLDPRES/- According to a press release by the Chinese Embassy in Chisinau, the Chinese News China weekly newspaper and The National Interest magazine from the USA on the last days published an article written by the current vice minister of the Foreign Ministry of the People's Republic of China, Fu Ying, and President of the Institute for South China Sea Studies  Wu Shicun. The article reminds important events from the evolution of the situation in South China Sea, which provide references for those willing to know the essence of the problem.

Under the article, in the past years, the South China Sea problem has become the most important topic for the Chinese-American relations, which even led to military frictions between the two countries.

Historical record shows that, before the 30s of the last century, there was no controversy concerning the sovereignty of China over the Nansha Archipelago at the international level. The divergences appeared during the Japanese aggressive war and new order after the war. In late 1950s, Philippines, Vietnam and other states started to occupy islands and reefs from Nansha Archipelago. In 70s and 80s of the last century, following the discovering of oil and gas resources in South China Sea and starting of negotiations on exclusive economic zone system, the se occupations entered a frenzy phase.

The situation in the South China Sea started being strained in 2009, especially in 2012. The Chinese-American military frictions in this zone became more frequent. In 2009, at least five incidents between American and Chinese military ships occurred during the reconnaissance and counter-reconnaissance missions. The restraint policy applied by the Chinese government is facing double pressures, triggered by continuity of policies and people’s will. The incident on the Huangyan island from April 2012 forced the Chinese government to adopt a string of countermeasures.

On 22 January 2013, Philippines submitted an application for arbitration on China to the Court for the Law of the Sea with the United Nations. The Foreign Ministry of China released more declarations, according to which the essential content of the arbitration process is focused on which country has sovereignty over some islands and reefs from South China Sea, and such a problem exceeds the applicability of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The countries signatories to the Convention, such as China, have the right to release a declaration on rejecting binding arbitration in setting out the sea border line. Therefore, China does not recognize the arbitration process and does not participate in it.

To cope with the change of the situation in the Nanshan Archipelago, to improve the living conditions of residents on the islands of the archipelago and to meet the needs of military defence, China started infrastructural construction on islands and reefs under its control in late 2013. Yet, the actions have been strongly accused by the USA and Philippines.

The change in the American policy on South China Sea led to the strengthening of China's firm decision to defend its own legitimate interests.

If the relevant sides opt for cooperation, they will get common benefits. If they choose antagonism, the situation will get in into a deadlock, or even conflicts will take place, which will harm the interests of all parties, the article also reads.

(Editor M. Jantovan)