Beijing claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, a maritime region believed to hold a wealth of untapped oil and gas reserves [Xinhua]China on Thursday reacted to recent pronouncements of US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the South China Sea.
China “values” Russian President Vladimir Putin’s position on the territorial row, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson was quoted as saying by Chinese agency Xinhua.
US President Barack Obama warned China on Thursday it could not ignore the Hague tribunal’s ruling on the dispute.
“The landmark arbitration ruling in July, which is binding, helped to clarify maritime rights in the region,” Obama told Southeast Asian leaders at a summit in Laos.
Putin has taken the exact opposite position.
The Russian President said during the recent G20 Summit in Hangzhou that he supports China’s stance on the South China Sea issue and opposes any third-party interference.
Interference of a non-regional player would hamper efforts to find a solution and would be “counterproductive”, Putin warned on Monday.
“President Putin’s position shows Russia to be objective and fair, and represents the voices of justice from the international community,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press conference on Thursday.
“We hope the US can take an objective and just attitude with respect to South China Sea issues,” Hua said.
A tribunal in July issued a ruling on the South China Sea arbitration initiated by the former government of the Philippines.
China has reiterated that it will not accept any proposition or action based on the decision.
“In fact, if a country is truly concerned about peace and stability in the South China Sea, it will support China to peacefully resolve the dispute with the countries directly concerned in accordance with international law and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC),” Hua said, adding that China also opposes any attempt by forces outside the region to manipulate the issue or stir up trouble.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called the ruling and the arbitration a “farce”.
Beijing claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, a maritime region believed to hold a wealth of untapped oil and gas reserves and through which roughly $4.5 trillion of ship-borne trade passes every year. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have contesting claims on these waters.
Russia has backed Beijing’s position that direct talks should take place between the affected parties and the region should guard against “external interference“.
TBP and Agencies
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