China is always committed to the dual-track approach in the South China Sea issue and upholding the principle that all countries are equal in seeking to resolve the disputes peacefully through negotiation and consultation with all countries concerned, said the Chinese Embassy in Malaysia in a statement Monday.
A spokesperson from the Embassy, in rebutting a statement by the United State (US) Department of State, said China sticks to the principle of mutual respect and, together with ASEAN countries, are addressing the South China Sea issue based on respecting historical facts and international laws, peace and stability in the disputed waters.
“China has always pursued a good-neighbourly foreign policy and insists that all countries, big or small, rich or poor, strong or weak, should be all equal. With the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea has been improving overall,” he said in the statement.
On July 13, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement said Beijing’s claims to offshore resources across most of the South China Sea are completely unlawful, as is its campaign of bullying to control them.
“Beijing uses intimidation to undermine the sovereign rights of Southeast Asian coastal states in the South China Sea, bully them out of offshore resources, assert unilateral dominion, and replace international law with “might makes right”,” Pompeo had said.
On US’s allegation that China is asserting its maritime claims, the spokesperson said China confines its oil and gas development and fishing activities in the South China Sea strictly within the waters under China’s jurisdiction, in accordance with relevant international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and China’s domestic legislations.
He added that China also exercised great restraint over oil and gas development in the disputed waters in the South China Sea and none of the working drilling oil rigs in the disputed waters in the South China Sea is China’s.
“China never stir up trouble, but when our maritime rights are infringed, we have to make necessary reactions, even so the reactions are all moderate. We never seek to build ‘maritime empire’ in the South China Sea,” he said.
He said on contrary, a certain country has been constantly flexing its muscles in the South China Sea by sending advanced warships and fighter planes to the region and conducted excessive military drills.
“In the guise of ‘freedom of navigation’, this country has frequently approached and illegally entered waters and airspace of China near the relevant reefs in South China Sea, threatening the sovereignty and security of China.
“It is quite clear who is seeking to build a ‘maritime empire’ and playing power politics in the South China Sea," he said.
In reference to the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal decision which sided the Philippines, the spokesperson from the Embassy said the arbitral tribunal itself was established on an unlawful basis and that China does not accept and recognise that.
“We (with) regard to the South China Sea arbitration and the so called Awards, China has made clear its position on many occasions. No matter how the relevant disputes are deliberately packaged as mere issues concerning the interpretation and application of the Convention, the essence of the subject-matter of the arbitration is the territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation.
“Territorial issues are not subject to the Convention and the maritime delimitation disputes have been excluded from the UNCLOS’ compulsory dispute settlement procedures by China’s 2006 Declaration,” he said.
The spokesperson reiterated that China has been committed to addressing the differences through friendly negotiations and consultations with related parties including Malaysia, so as to maintain the peace and stability in the South China Sea.
He said that although both China and Malaysia hold different positions and have overlapping claims in relevant waters, the governments of both sides have handled the disputes and managed the differences through dialogues and consultations, with good will and sincerity.
He said China is always ready to cooperate with Malaysia to deepen their mutual trust and to continue to properly settle the relevant issues through bilateral friendly consultations.
“It is our expectation that both sides can work together to fully implement the DoC (Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea) and push forward the consultation on CoC (Code of Conduct in the South China Sea), so as to safeguard the peace and stability over the South China Sea.
“Before the dispute are settled, China will continue to work with relevant parties including Malaysia to put aside differences, promote common development on oil and gas resources and advance the cooperation on maritime environment protection and fishing resources preservation, in order to build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation,” he said.
-- BERNAMA
Bernama
Mon Jul 20 2020
China is always ready to cooperate with Malaysia to deepen their mutual trust and to continue to properly settle the relevant issues through bilateral friendly consultations.
Kontroversi UM: Sarjana ‘berkualiti rendah’ tak patut dijemput - PM Anwar
Anwar menyindir ahli akademik AS yang terbabit dalam kontroversi pro-Israel sebagai sarjana berkualiti rendah dan tidak mempunyai pencapaian luar biasa atau istimewa.
Agong, Raja Permaisuri zahir ucapan Ulang Tahun Keputeraan kepada Sultan Terengganu
Ucapan itu dizahirkan Seri Paduka Baginda berdua menerusi poster yang dimuat naik di Facebook Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar hari ini.
Ada wajah kita tak mahu berpisah, tapi terpaksa melepaskannya - Datuk Red
Menerusi perkongsian itu, Adnan mengatakan ada perkara yang dia terpaksa reda dan menerima takdir yang sudah tertulis untuknya.
Komen jelik nahas helikopter Lumut, peniaga didenda RM23,000
Seorang peniaga dalam talian didenda RM23,000 di Mahkamah Sesyen di sini, selepas mengaku bersalah atas tuduhan memuat naik komen jelik berhubung nahas helikopter TLDM.
Bursa Malaysia dibuka rendah, jejaki prestasi Wall Street
Pada 9.10 pagi, FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI (FBM KLCI) susut 2.29 mata kepada 1,566.96 daripada 1,569.25 ketika ditutup pada Khamis.
AWANI Ringkas: Pesawat ringan mendarat cemas di Subang
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Cambodia Airways mulakan penerbangan terus Phnom Penh-Kuala Lumpur
Syarikat penerbangan Kemboja, Cambodia Airways, secara rasmi memulakan penerbangan terus dari ibu negaranya, Phnom Penh ke KLIA pada Khamis.
Semangat baharu bina ekosistem inovasi lebih dinamik
Perbadanan Pembangunan Teknologi Malaysia, MTDC meneruskan kesinambungan dalam memacu pembangunan teknologi negara, dengan melancarkan Citra MTDC, untuk mewujudkan ekosistem inovasi yang lebih dinamik.
Polis tahan guru disyaki liwat tiga pelajar
Tiga pelajar tahfiz dipercayai menjadi mangsa seks luar tabii apabila didakwa diliwat seorang guru agama dari pusat tahfiz berkenaan sejak dua tahun lalu.
Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri Selangor di KKB langgar Akta - Bersih
Penganjuran Rumah Terbuka Aidilfitri Peringkat Negeri Selangor yang akan dianjurkan di Pekan Kuala Kubu Bharu Sabtu ini, boleh bercanggah dengan banyak peruntukan dalam Akta Kesalahan Pilihan Raya 1954 (AKPR).
PM Vietnam cadang ASEAN jadi model transformasi digital global
Perdana Menteri Vietnam mencadangkan orientasi kejayaan untuk menjadikan ASEAN sebagai model dalam transformasi digital di peringkat global.
Malaysia muncul destinasi utama pengembangan perniagaan di ASEAN - Kajian UOB
Malaysia telah muncul sebagai negara paling penting dalam ASEAN untuk diceburi perniagaan, seperti yang ditunjukkan oleh Kajian Tinjauan Perniagaan UOB 2024 (PKS & Perusahaan Besar).
Malaysia perlu masa untuk teliti cadangan visa bersama enam negara ASEAN
Malaysia memerlukan lebih masa untuk meneliti cadangan Thailand mengenai program visa bersama dengan enam negara ASEAN lain.
Konflik Myanmar: ASEAN tegas kepentingan laksana Konsensus Lima Perkara
ASEAN tegaskan semula komitmen bantu Myanmar cari penyelesaian dengan mewujudkan persekitaran kondusif melalu pelaksanaan Konsensus Lima Perkara.
Ringgit ditutup rendah berbanding dolar AS
Pada 6 petang, ringgit merosot kepada 4.7785/7815 berbanding dolar AS daripada 4.7680/7730 semasa ditutup pada Jumaat.
Malaysia sedia jadi hab pusat untuk Pejabat Keluarga di ASEAN
ASEAN semakin mendapat fokus daripada firma pejabat keluarga berikutan kestabilan ekonomi dan pertumbuhan di rantau ini.
LRT Pulau Pinang: Mobiliti, pemangkin pelancongan dan tidak ancam perkhidmatan feri
Pelaksanaan projek LRT Laluan Mutiara Pulau Pinang, dilihat sebagai pengangkutan alternatif penduduk negeri ini bagi mengatasi masalah trafik.
Jenama “Kuasa Tenaga Boleh Diperbaharui Asia” bakal lonjak Sarawak ke persada global - Abang Jo
Abang Johari Tun Openg berkata, Sarawak berpotensi menjadi hab inisiatif peralihan kepada penggunaan tenaga tanpa karbon ketika dunia bergerak ke arah -net-zero- menjelang 2050.
ASEAN: Saifuddin gesa Malaysia lebih proaktif tangani isu Myanmar
Usaha proaktif akan membolehkan Malaysia membentuk persekitaran yang aman dan inklusif dalam rantau ASEAN.
Jadikan ASEAN platform pembelian ubat secara pukal - Dr Noor Hisham
Usaha berterusan perlu dilaksanakan kerajaan untuk menjadikan ASEAN sebagai platform pembelian ubat-ubatan dan peralatan kesihatan menerusi perolehan secara pukal.