Working together, building trust and friendship and not conflict is the way to solve territorial problems and move forward, said Tung Chee-hwa, vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and former chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR.
China will follow the dual-track approach agreed to by China and most ASEAN countries, peacefully and properly handle disputes left from history and jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.
The Philippines was told Friday to withdraw from China's islands in the South China Sea and to stop infringing on China's sovereignty and maritime rights.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen reiterated on Wednesday that the South China Sea dispute is the issue between claimant states and China, not between ASEAN and China.
China on Friday rebuked a US navy officer over his suggestions that the Southeast Asian nations should jointly build a maritime force to patrol areas of contested sovereignty in the South China Sea and that his fleet would provide support.
China on Wednesday refuted ASEAN Secretary-General Le Luong Minh's recent accusation that China had complicated the situation in the South China Sea, saying the comments departed from the neutral role that the ASEAN Secretariat should play.
Responding to recent reports of China's land reclamation around its islands and reefs in the South China Sea, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Sunday that the country "has every right to do things that are lawful and justified", and the decision is not targeting any party.
China has rejected charges by the United States that it had "expanded its outposts in the South China Sea", saying its activities in its own territory were legitimate and justified.
Even a not-so-close scrutiny of the maritime Silk Road proposed by China will allow the observer to know that the route passes large areas in the South China Sea.
China on Friday asked other countries not to "create dissension" among countries and "create tension" in the South China Sea area.
China believes that while big countries should never bully smaller ones, the latter should not engage in provocative acts, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Thursday.
While a joint exercise is nothing new, the fact that it is held in two cities facing the South China Sea signals a move to ease regional tension.
A new ship set sail Monday from Hainan Island for Sansha City on its maiden voyage to supply islands in the vast South China Sea.