ASEAN being hijacked by some of its members

The Chairman's Statement of the 26th ASEAN Summit issued on Tuesday, which resorted to insinuations at China's construction activities on its stationed islands and reefs of the Nansha Islands, is totally unreasonable and unacceptable.

The Nansha Islands are part of China's inherent territory and China has indisputable sovereignty over them. Given that Chinese personnel stationed there often have to face very adverse conditions, China's construction activities are aimed at improving their working and living conditions, to help them better fulfill China's international duties and obligations in such areas as maritime rescues, disaster prevention and mitigation, maritime research, meteorological observation, ecological protection, navigation safety, as well as fishery services and counter-piracy.

The ongoing activities will make it easier to offer necessary services for navigating vessels of China and other countries through the South China Sea. The activities, which are completely within China's sovereignty and not targeted at any other country, are beyond reproach.