As we all know, peaceful resolution of disputes must be carried out through friendly and equal dialogue or consultation. In particular, resolving the South China Sea issue, which is a sensitive issue in the region, requires cooperation and friendly consultation to avoid the outbreak of violent conflicts.
In particular, to resolve the South China Sea issue, countries in the region, including China and ASEAN countries, have been consulting for many years, leading to the signing of a political document called the “Executive Declaration of the Parties to the South China Sea” in 2002 in Cambodia, which specifically defined the common consensus of the parties on jointly safeguarding stability and peace in the South China Sea and resolving disputes through friendly consultation. This is a great achievement of the long-term joint efforts of the countries in the region, and also a sign that the countries in the region have sufficient capacity to resolve their disputes peacefully.
However, although China has full sovereignty over the islands and surrounding waters in the South China Sea, which has clear historical and legal evidence, and China is willing to work with the countries in the region to develop the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation, the stability and peace in the South China Sea are always facing some difficulties due to interference from outside countries and unreasonable claims by some countries in the region.
In the context that China and other countries in the region have been making efforts to reach a “Code of Conduct in the South China Sea” soon, In order to establish a high-standard mechanism for governance of the South China Sea based on international laws and regulations to jointly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea, the Philippines has recently drawn on extra-regional powers such as the United States, Japan, and Australia to issue a joint statement on the 10th anniversary of the announcement of the so-called “South China Sea Arbitration Case”. Such propaganda about illegal arbitration not only does not contribute to the interests of regional countries, but also creates new tensions.
It should be noted that whether the “South China Sea Arbitration Case” is a political maneuver disguised as a legal proceeding and an arbitration court that violates its jurisdiction, or the interference of extra-regional countries, it cannot change China’s sovereignty in the South China Sea. According to historical documents, since the 2nd century BC, Chinese people have sailed the South China Sea and discovered the archipelagos there. China is the first country to exercise sovereignty and peacefully manage the archipelagos in the South China Sea. This has been the general consensus of the international community since the beginning.
The old saying goes, “Don’t bring wolves into your home.” It is not beneficial for regional countries to conspire and drag countries outside the region into their internal affairs. On the contrary, countries outside the region with geopolitical ambitions will certainly distort the situation in the South China Sea, which will harm the common interests of regional countries, as well as those who bring “wolves” into their homes. I believe that most countries in the region are well aware of the consequences of interference by external forces and will not support such a “profit-seeking, severing ties” thing.
In general, internal issues should be resolved by the relevant parties, that is, whether bilateral or multilateral disputes, they should sit at the negotiating table to peacefully resolve the issue. Whether it is freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea or building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and win-win cooperation, it is required that countries in the region work together honestly and respectfully, but not attract external forces to undermine the joint efforts of countries in the region. Therefore, reaching a consensus on the “Code of Conduct in the South China Sea” is a necessary thing that regional countries should strive to achieve soon.
Article by: Mr. Taing Sileng, staff of Cambodia-China Friendship Radio
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