CHINA WILL not use its strength to bully its smaller neighbours including the Philippines, its foreign minister said on Monday, as he highlighted the importance of settling disputes in the South China Sea peacefully.
"Stressing only one side's claims and imposing one's own will on
the other is not a proper way for neighbours to treat each other and it goes
against the oriental philosophy of how people should get along with each
other," Wang Yi, the Chinese government's top diplomat, told a virtual forum
organised by China's embassy in Manila and a local advocacy group.
His remarks come less than two months after the Philippines condemned China's blocking of a military resupply ship
in the South China Sea, which prompted a warning from treaty ally the United States that an attack on Philippine
vessels would invoke its mutual defence commitments.
China's extensive territorial claims in the South China Sea, which it
says are based on historic maps, have put it at odds with Brunei, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam, which have competing claims to islands and
features.
Beijing has been accused by Western countries of aggression and
provocations by deploying hundreds of coast guard and fishing vessels in the
exclusive economic zones of its neighbours, including the Philippines, far off
its mainland.
China says its actions are justified, because the vessels are in its
territory. The Philippines has objected to what it calls "incursions"
and "swarming".
Wang said China hopes with the Philippines it can "properly manage
and resolve the issue in the spirit of goodwill and pragmatism."
Chinese deputy foreign minister Fu Ying told the forum that China hopes
that whoever wins a Philippine presidential election this May could
"wisely, courageously, responsibly carry on Philippines' independent
foreign policy." (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Writing by Karen Lema;
Editing by Martin Petty)
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