Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi speaks at the luncheon of the fourth World Peace Forum in Beijing, capital of China, June 27, 2015. (Photo/Xinhua)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has reiterated that China is determined and able to continue safeguarding its rights and interests of the Nansha Islands in the South China Sea.
Wang made the remarks at the Fourth World Peace Forum which wrapped up here in Beijing on Sunday.
The forum included topics of security cooperation among world powers as well as security issues in the Asia-Pacific region.
Responding to the South China Sea issue, a hot topic related to regional security, Wang Yi first briefed the audience with some historical facts about the Nansha Islands.
"During the Second World War, the Nansha Islands were occupied by Japanese forces. After the end of the war, in accordance with the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, the Chinese government openly reclaimed its sovereignty over the Nansha Islands. China and the United States were allies at the time and Chinese troops were actually on U.S. military vessels on their voyage to Nansha to reclaim China's sovereignty. Our American friends should be well aware of that."
Wang Yi has used the occasion to state that the Chinese government's position on the issue is consistent and will not change.
"China's sovereignty over the Nansha Islands has neither expanded nor dwindled. Otherwise, we cannot face our ancestors and forefathers. At the same time, the nibbling at and invading of China's sovereignty and interests must come to an end, or we cannot face our descendants."
Wang Yi has also noted that China had fallen victim to the seizure and occupation of its islands and reefs by other nations, related to the exploration for oil in the South China Sea dating back to the 1960s.
Faced with illegal occupations, Wang Yi notes China has always dealt with the Nansha Islands issue through peaceful means; Further to that, China and ASEAN countries signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Wang Yi says despite of differences on maritime security, exchanges and cooperation are still the main trend of China-U.S. ties.
He notes that over 300 agreements were reached between China and the U.S. at the just-concluded Strategic and Economic Dialogue and High-Level Consultation on People-to-People Exchanges.
"It indicates that China and the U.S. share comprehensive common interests in the bilateral, regional and international levels and that exchanges and cooperation are still the main trend of the two countries' relations."
China and the United States have launched a joint initiative to step up cooperation on ocean preservation during the annual meetings held in Washington last week.
Han Xudong, professor of China's National Defense University, suggests there is room for China and the United States to work together to safeguard the maritime security in the Asia Pacific region.
"China and the U.S. are the most influential powers in the region. The two sides should start making rules to protect regional security, since without rules countries are unable to behave accordingly. Then they can cooperate in concrete operations such as search and rescue. Moreover, they can join hands to fight against non-traditional security threats such as pirates and terrorism."
The World Peace Forum, founded in 2012, is China's first high-level non-governmental forum focusing on international security.
