BEIJING, March 7. /TASS/. China will defend its rights and take measures to respond to false flag operations in the South China Sea, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at a news conference on the sidelines of the second session of the 14th National People’s Congress of China.
"China will take justifiable steps to protect its rights in line with the law and respond to unwarranted false flag operations with swift and legitimate countermeasures in the South China Sea," China’s top diplomat said. According to him, the Chinese "have lived and worked" in the South China Sea for generations, while islands in that sea have been a Chinese jurisdiction since long ago.
"Today, the South China Sea is the busiest and the most secure and free maritime route globally," Wang emphasized. He called on members of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to solve disputes through dialogue, consultations and negotiations between the countries involved.
"Peace at sea should be maintained by China and ASEAN member countries working together," Wang said as he suggested fast-tracking talks to formulate the code of behavior in the South China Sea.
For several decades Beijing has been at odds with some countries over the territorial affiliation of certain islands in the South China Sea, where significant offshore hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered. First and foremost, this concerns the archipelagos of Xisha (Paracel Islands), Nansha (Spratlys) and Huangyan (Scarborough Reef). Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines are involved in these disputes. In recent years, the rifts have been eased somewhat through multilateral efforts, including China-ASEAN engagement.