China insists direct negotiation to resolve South China Sea issue

  - China always insists direct and peaceful negotiation with relevant countries to resolve the South China Sea issue, Chinese experts said on Friday at the Japan's National Press Club.

Wu Shicun, president of China's National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told a press conference that the core of the South China Sea issue is disputes over sovereignty and maritime administration of parts of Nan Sha Islands between China and other claimant countries.

He said China endeavors to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea and calls for adherence to the principle of "putting aside disputes and seeking joint development" in the region.

Wu pointed out that the unilateral arbitration filed by the Philippines breaches consensuses reached by the Chinese and Philippine governments in the last century on the issue and the move is not aiming at resolving the disputes between the two sides, but making new troubles.

The South China Sea issue is not only a legal but a political one with historical and geopolitical factors, he said, adding that territorial disputes are not covered by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Yu Tiejun, associate professor at the School of International Studies of Peking University, believed that Japan should not intervene in the issue as it may affect the recovering bilateral relations, adding that hyping up the South China Sea issue by the Japanese side will benefit no one.

source : xinhua