CRI听力:China Defends Land-building at Shangri-La Dialogue

Issues in the South China Sea have been a major focus of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore as the United States has been ratcheting up pressure on China for its island-building activities.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter has gone on record saying China is "out of step" with international rules and norms that underscore Asia- Pacific's security architecture.

Addressing the last day of the forum, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Chinese military, Admiral Sun Jianguo, again defended China's actions in the South China Sea.

"I want to reaffirm that these construction projects fall well within the scope of China's sovereignty and are legitimate, justified and reasonable. They do not target any other countries or affect the freedom of navigation. There are no changes in China's claims in the South China Sea, no changes in China's position on peaceful resolution of the relevant disputes through negotiation and consultation."

Sun Jianguo says China's moves are also aimed at fulfilling its international obligations, citing the construction of an oceanic survey station for the United Nations and two multi-functional lighthouses for the purpose of providing international public services.

To address the disputes in the South China Sea, Sun has proposed that concerned countries should uphold the core concept of win-win cooperation to expand their common interests.

He says upholding mutual trust and inclusiveness will also be key in enhancing regional security cooperation.

Oh Ei Sun, a senior fellow with Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, believes Sun Jianguo's speech has sent a positive signal that China is insisting on pursuing peaceful development.

"His speech indicates that it is China's hope to play an active role in maintaining regional peace and stability, which is a precondition for China to sustain its development momentum. China's growth is closely linked with the development of our region, as we all know that China is the locomotive for the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region."

Meanwhile, Ruan Zongze, vice-president of the China Institute of International Studies, is hailing China's position on pursuing the common security of all countries in the region.

"For a long time, Asia's security architecture has been hijacked by the US-dominated mode of forging allies with countries in the region. China's proposal of seeking common security raises a challenge to the old system. I believe China's efforts to strengthen win-win cooperation including security cooperation among relevant Asian countries will help them realize that the people of Asia have the final say in the security of Asia."

Organized by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Shangri-La Dialogue has been widely recognized as Asia- Pacific's foremost defense and security platform.

As part of his time in Singapore, Admiral Sun Jianguo has held separate meetings with military officials and delegates from 13 countries, and exchanged views on issues such as regional security and bilateral military ties.

For CRI', I'm Qi Zhi.