25 July 2017•Update: 25 July 2017
By Roy Ramos
ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines
China Tuesday urged nations in Southeast Asia -- including Philippines -- to jointly resist ‘foreign interventions’ in South China Sea disputes.
“If there are still non-regional forces in the region, they don’t want to see stability in the South China Sea and they still want to stir up trouble in the South China Sea, we need to stand together and we need to say no to them together,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in a news conference in Philippines capital Manila.
Wang arrived in Manila on Monday for a two-day reciprocal visit following Philippine Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano visit to China from June 28 to July 1.
In July 2016, China slammed a ruling of The Hague tribunal which favored the Philippines’ claims over Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea.
Other sovereign entities such as Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims on the waters.
China has built man-made islands on seven reefs in the sea, a move that has sparked tensions and triggered concerns among several nations, including the U.S., Australia and Japan.
The area is a critical asset for global shipping and fishing, as it sees over $5 trillion in maritime trade every year.
Wang noted that the disputes can be solved within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
“This fact shows to the world that China and ASEAN countries have full capabilities and wisdom to handle the difference between us and maintain stability in the South China Sea,” GMA News quoted Wang as saying.
