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CRI听力:China Opposes Ashton Carter's Comments over S. China Sea

2015-06-01来源:CRI

Chinese Foreign Ministry has issued a statement on Saturday, stressing that China's construction on the Nansha islands and reefs is within the country's sovereign rights.

The statement adds that the activities are lawful, reasonable and justified.

The statement follows U.S. Defense Secretary Ashton Carter's speech at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Saturday.

Carter claimed that China's construction in the region was "out of step" with international rules, and urged a halt to land reclamation by all claimants.

In response, China's Foreign Ministry said that China's sovereignty, rights and interests in the South China Sea have been consistently upheld by successive Chinese governments and established over a long history, with ample historical and legal basis.

The comment was also echoed by Guan Youfei, director of the Foreign Affairs Office of China's National Defense Ministry, who also attended the regional security meeting.

Guan notes that the U.S. side is demonstrating its double standard on the reclamation issue.

"China is not the initiator of trouble on the South China Sea issue, and is very restrained on this issue and has played a role in stabilizing the South China Sea situation. Previously some claimant countries have taken many unilateral actions, but the United States kept silent and inactive without any comments. We hope the United States will treat the South China Sea issue more objectively and fairly and participate in the discussions in a positive and constructive manner."

The military official also notes that the construction is aimed at strengthening the function of some islands and reefs, which not only meets necessary defense needs, but is also for civilian use.

"China has explicitly expressed its stance on the construction of the islands previously, that is, we carry out construction on our own territory rationally and according to law, and plan our construction according to our own needs and the requirement of the whole South China Sea."
During his speech on Saturday, Ashton Carter also defended for the fly-over of two US surveillance planes, and pledged that his country would continue to fly, sail, and operate in the region wherever international law allows.

Chinese military official Guan Youfei notes that the U.S. side has been using the freedom of navigation and the air as an excuse for its interference in this regional issue.

"We believe that it is a misinterpretation of relevant international laws to underline the navigation freedom with military mighty. The freedom of navigation serves for the purpose of economic development, but not for haphazard actions of military jets and ships."

In its statement on Saturday, China's foreign ministry also stressed that there has never been any issue with freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, nor will such an issue arise in the future.

However it noted that such freedom should not be abused or infringe on the sovereignty, rights and security of littoral states, which are protected by international law.

China and ASEAN countries have agreed to resolve the disputes through negotiation between concerned parties, and to make joint effort in safeguarding regional stability.

And in this respect, the Foreign Ministry statement said that the United States should stop meddling in a purely regional issue.

For CRI, I am Huang Shan.