CGTN | MSC: China reiterates stance that countries outside the region should not interfere in South China Sea issue

CGTN | February 16 , 2025

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Maintaining regional stability in Asia-Pacific was also high on the conference’s agenda. CGTN’s Zhao Yunfei has more.

An exchange of views over the South China Sea at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, Former Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying attended a discussion on maritime tensions, saying countries in the region should not cross the redline.

FU YING, Former Chinese Vice Foreign Minister “If the Philippines can take new rocks. How can you stop others? How can you stop China from taking more? There’s no problem. But we are exercising constraints.”

Fu says countries in the region have provided wisdom as they have cooperated over the past decades to prevent war. On the panel, she was joined by officials from the Philippines, the U.S., and Singapore.

NG ENG HEN, Singapore Defense Minister “I think first China’s actions in the South China Sea, if we are frank about it, a response to U.S. containment strategy. It was a strategy that originated from the U.S. campaign to contain the Japanese expansion in World War II.”

China’s stance on the South China Sea is that countries outside the region should not get involved.

WANG HUIYAO, President, Center for China and Globalization “China has the South China Sea issue not only with the Philippines but also with Vietnam, with Malaysia, with Indonesia. They all handled it very well and peacefully. The reason the Philippines has some problems with China is because now there are nine U.S. military bases in the Philippines, and that may provoke Philippines to change the status quo.”

ZHAO YUNFEI, Munich “China says it opposes exploiting the South China Sea issue for political manipulation. It calls on relevant parties to settle disputes through negotiation and stay committed to regional peace, stability, and order.”

When it comes to China-U.S. ties, Fu says the two sides should avoid confrontation and co-exist peacefully.

FU YING, Former Chinese Vice Foreign Minister “The U.S. has launched this strategic competition with China, but you don’t hear China talking about accepting that defining our relationship with the U.S. is competition.”

CHRIS COONS, US Democratic Senator “In the South China Sea, making sure that professional conduct, is not the majority, but is uniformly. What is observed and avoiding unintended collisions, accidents, and then escalation is a key responsibility of major powers and partners in the region.”

Fu noted the South China Sea is one of the busiest sea lanes and that China has been acting professionally to ensure the prosperity and development in the region. Zhao Yunfei, CGTN, Munich.

 

From CGTN， 2025-2-16