China yesterday rebuked New Zealand’s defense minister at the opening of a high-profile security forum in Beijing, criticizing his stance on tensions in the disputed South China Sea, saying countries “not involved” should not interfere.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands. in July ruled that China had no historic title over the waters and had breached the Philippines’ sovereign rights there. That decision infuriated Beijing, which dismissed the court’s authority.
We “hope that countries who are not involved in the disputes respect the countries who are having the disputes to ... work among themselves,” Fu Ying (傅瑩), chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Chinese National People’s Congress, said at the Xiangshan Forum, which China styles as its answer to the annual Shangri-La Dialogue security forum in Singapore.
“Outside involvement, I think the developments have shown interferences can only complicate the differences and sometimes even add to the tension,” said Fu, a former deputy foreign minister who was chairing the session.
Fu’s comments came in response to remarks by New Zealand Minister of Defense Gerry Brownlee about his country’s concerns over the South China Sea.
“We oppose actions that undermine peace and erode trust and would like to see all parties actively take steps to reduce those tensions,” Brownlee said.
“As a small maritime trading nation, international law and, in particular, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is important for New Zealand. We support the arbitral process and believe that countries have the right to seek that international resolution,” he said.
This is not the first time China has clashed with New Zealand over the dispute.
In February, New Zealand urged Chinese restraint after Beijing’s apparent deployment of an advanced missile system on a South China Sea island, while Beijing said New Zealand’s proposal was “unconstructive.”
Brownlee yesterday honed in on the issue of China’s building of artificial islands in the territory, including new airstrips, which has rattled nerves around the region.
“A particular cause of ... heightened tension has been the reclamation and construction activity and deployment of military assets in disputed areas,” he said.
China has said much of the building and reclamation work it has been doing in the South China Sea is to benefit the international community, including improving civilian maritime navigation.
After Fu’s response, Brownlee told reporters it was reasonable for New Zealand to express its concerns, which represent smaller countries as well, as all parties are able to have a say.
Since the ruling, China and ASEAN members have been trying to reduce tension in the region.
Chinese Minister of National Defense Chang Wanquan (常萬全) told the forum that China and ASEAN would hold maritime drills next year, although he gave no details, adding that China was willing to “manage disputes.”
A Malaysian general told reporters on the sidelines of the forum that China had been exercising restraint, with no increase in Chinese military activity in the parts of the South China Sea Malaysia claims.
“In fact, we are establishing military cooperation with China to build up confidence so that we understand one another better,” Malaysia Armed Forces Chief Zulkefeli Mohd Zin said.
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