China on Tuesday stressed the importance of maintaining maritime security and strengthening global ocean governance to promote world peace, stability, development and prosperity, while firmly rejecting U.S. accusations regarding the South China Sea issue.
While speaking at the UN Security Council open debate, Geng Shuang, charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, noted that as a major maritime country, China is committed to the common guardianship of maritime homeland and the maintenance of common maritime security.
China will always be a builder of global ocean governance, a promoter of sustainable development of oceans and seas, and a defender of global maritime security and stability, said Geng, adding that China stands ready to work with the international community to make unremitting efforts to promote the building of an ocean order of peace, tranquility, and win-win cooperation, and to build together a maritime community with a shared future.
"The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) has established a basic legal framework for the modern order of the oceans, and has played an important role in promoting global ocean governance. Together with other sea-related treaties and customary international law, the Convention provides legal norms for the determination of maritime zones and conduct of maritime activities. All countries need to safeguard the maritime order underpinned by international law. UNCLOS should be interpreted and applied in good faith in a complete and accurate manner. Selective application and double standards must be rejected," said Geng.
Geng also refuted the U.S. representative's smearing of China on the South China Sea issue, saying that the Security Council is not an appropriate place to discuss the South China Sea issue, and China firmly opposes the U.S. representative mentioning the issue.
He pointed out that the U.S., under the banner of freedom of navigation, has frequently sent its military vessels to the South China Sea to flex its muscles and openly stir up confrontation between regional countries. The U.S. itself is the biggest threat to the peace and stability of the South China Sea, Geng said.
China is committed to working with the countries concerned to appropriately address the sea-related differences through dialogue and consultation on the basis of respect for historical facts and international law, he said. The so-called award in the South China Sea arbitration is illegal and invalid, and China does not accept or recognize it, he added.
Noting that the current situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, Geng said that these countries have the determination and ability to build the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation. China hopes that the U.S. side will abide by its commitment to the one-China principle, he stressed.
"Here is a reminder to my U.S. colleagues. I don't know if she realized that her speech is in stark contrast to other colleagues' statements. The statements made by the Secretary-General, as well as other colleagues, all focus on how to maintain maritime security and develop international cooperation. The U.S., however, has taken the opportunity in its statement to attack and discredit other countries and to suppress them recklessly. We hope that the United States can join other countries in playing a constructive role in maintaining maritime security," Geng said.
US the biggest threat to peace, stability of South China Sea: official
