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Assistant Foreign Minister Hu Zhengyue's remarks on China's Asia policy

chinadaily.com.cn | Updated: 2010-11-10 17:41

Question: Hotspot issues have recently drawn quite some attention in areas surrounding China. Being a major country in the region, what has China done to maintain regional peace and stability?

Answer: The security environment around China is very complicated with traditional and nontraditional security challenges intertwined. China believes that the old security concept and security logic defined by alignment, strength, deterrence and power should be rejected in the region. A new security concept should be established with mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and coordination at its core, one that recognizes, respects and rises above national differences in terms of ideology, values, social system and development stage. China has been doing what it says. It has played an active and constructive role in addressing hotspot issues. And it is dedicated in its effort to seek peaceful resolution of disputes over territory, territorial sea and maritime rights and interests through friendly negotiations.

The overall situation in the South China Sea is stable, albeit there are some disturbances. To maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, refrain from expanding, complicating or internationalizing the disputes and avoid conflicts and tension in this region serves the common interests of China and other countries in the region. We believe that disputes in the South China Sea should be resolved peacefully through bilateral negotiations between the parties directly involved. Pending a solution, we can shelf the disputes and engage in joint development. We are ready to work with the parties concerned to follow through with the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, build up mutual trust and promote cooperation. The Parties to the disputes have agreed on a host of important principles in peacefully resolving the disputes. The channels of dialogue and consultation between the parities are open and unfettered. The parties have every wisdom and capability to resolve their issues on their own. And some parties to the disputes share the view that forces from outside the region should not be involved in the disputes.

The navigation freedom and safety in the South China Sea, which has one of the world’s busiest international shipping lanes, has never been compromised by the disputes in the South China Sea. It has never been an issue. China has placed high importance on the navigation freedom and security in the South China Sea and has consistently maintained that navigation freedom should be guaranteed in the South China Sea. We will continue to actively engage in maritime security cooperation in the region.

As a close neighbor to the Korean Peninsula, China has followed closely the development of the situation there and has made persistent efforts to encourage the parties concerned to meet each other half way and improve their relations to uphold peace and stability in Northeast Asia. The once tense situation on the Peninsula seems to have relaxed recently. The parties concerned have had useful contacts and discussions on the resumption of the Six-Party Talks and other matters. The parties have all expressed their willingness to re-launch the Six-Party Talks, to endeavor to improve their relations and continue to move forward the denuclearization process on the Peninsula. We welcome this development.

We are of the view that to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula through the Six-Party Talks, address the concerns of various parties in a balanced manner and set up a Northeast Asia peace and security mechanism will fundamentally reduce problems and disputes in the region and will contribute to enduring peace on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia. China will continue to work with the parities concerned and the international community, and play a constructive role in denuclearizing the Peninsula and upholding peace and stability on the Peninsula and in Northeast Asia.

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