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Editor's Note:

In a great leap for public diplomacy, 12 Chinese diplomats will host a series of interviews to answer our readers' questions on regional and international affairs. The series, co-hosted by China Daily's website, the Foreign Ministry, People.com.cn, and Chinanews.com, runs from Jan 5. The director-general interviews will look back at China's diplomacy in 2011 and exchange views on the country's relations with the world in 2012.


Talks key to resolving sea disputes
2012-01-09 14:33     chinadaily.com.cn



Topic:South China Sea disputes

Q: What caused the South China Sea issue?

A: It has two aspects. The first is the territorial disputes between China and neighboring countries around the South China Sea, over the sovereignty of islands and reefs of Nansha Islands. The second is the dispute over the maritime jurisdiction of some marine waters in the South China Sea.

Q: What will China and its neighboring countries do to resolve the oil and gas dispute in the South China Sea?

A: China has had a clear stand that any country or enterprise that enters the South China Sea for oil and gas exploration without China's consent is illegal. The Chinese government has been promoting the principle of "shelving differences and seeking joint development."

Q: What do you think of the US role in South China Sea issue?

A: The South China Sea has been a crucial sea channel for East Asia and the whole area of northwest Pacific for a long time.

The US has told China many times that it will not take sides in the South China Sea issue, and that it does not want it to be a problem between US and China.

 

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Agenda
Guest: Xie Feng
Time: Jan 20, 2012
Director-general of the Department of North American and Oceanian Affairs, Foreign Ministry