After compiling a comprehensive history of international views on China's sovereignty in the South China Sea, a British legal scholar emphasized that the U.S. has never sought a peaceful solution in the sea and has actively provoked conflict.
Anthony Carty, author of the recently published History and Sovereignty of South China Sea and visiting professor at the Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences of Peking University, pointed to a clear trend in U.S. policy over the past 70 years.
"I'm not sure that the United States is looking to find a peaceful solution to this issue. The American role here is entirely negative and it is formally stated by the Americans in their record that their objective is to contain China and part of containing China means keeping them off these islands," said Carty.
"There is actually a statement by an undersecretary of state, [Robert Daniel] Murphy in the 1950s, in a meeting at which John Foster Dulles has also aggressively present, saying that the Philippines, they've never taken a position with respect to the Philippines, but it would be perhaps a good idea to encourage the Philippines to make a claim as part of their strategy to keep the Chinese off the islands. So they are not in the business of resolving any conflicts and it's a useful part of an overall strategy, geopolitical and military strategy for containment," he said.
The History and Sovereignty of South China Sea is a collection of findings on the South China Sea that Carty gathered from primary source materials in national archives, mostly in the United Kingdom and France, and some in the United States.
US has never sought peaceful solution in South China Sea: UK scholar
Students from China, Tajikistan, Egypt, Mongolia, Russia and Liberia, all studying at Tianjin Foreign Studies University in north China, share their stories about mum in six languages to cerebrate Mother's Day, which falls on May 12 this year.
Reflecting on memories of their mothers, Mohamed Abdalazeem Fahmey from Egypt fondly shares, "My mother likes noodles."
"She enjoys learning," Bobozoda Fozilbeg from Tajikistan says.
"She's imaginative and always has new ideas," says Zhou Linmiao from China.
"She's a hardworking, beautiful person who has stressed resistance," says Ahmed Mohamed Saleh, another student.
They also share stories about their relationships with their mothers.
Fozilbeg says that his mother taught him how to cook when he was 15 or 16 years old. Those skills have proven very valuable now as he navigates life independently in a foreign land.
"When I just came to China and wasn't used to Chinese food, I cooked for myself every day. At the time, I realized the importance of her teaching me cooking," he says.
"We have our traditional food, which is called potato grains. That's my favorite dish that she always made," says a student from Liberia.
"Whenever she sends me something, she always puts in some ordinary snacks which can be easily bought. I thought it was a bit of a waste of money, because shipping also has costs," says Zhou.
"If something is bothering me or if I'm in a bad mood, she knows just from my eyes what's going on in my mind," says Saleh.
"She told me I have made her dreams come true. Because her dream was to study in university, to study abroad," says Fozilbeg.
"In fact, I'm also a mom, and when I gave birth to my baby, it was very painful. But when she touched me, it seemed so magical. The pain suddenly stopped," shares Igiimaa.
Some students also mention that as they age, they sometimes overlook the opportunity to express our love to the cherished mothers.
"When I was young, I made my mum beautiful birthday cards for two years. When I grew up, I saw these cards in her drawer. She has been keeping them. But I haven't made her birthday cards for years," says Zhou.
"But I didn't say to her 'I miss you, I love you' very often," says Igiimaa.
"I miss her a lot," says the Liberian student.
These students expressed heartfelt messages to their mothers, "I love you."
International students share stories about mothers in six languages
