China avoids bringing East Sea dispute to UN court

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said on January 31 that Beijing firmly opposes the Philippines' request to bring the East Sea sovereignty dispute to the United Nations court.

Speaking at a press conference, Mr. Hong Lei said: "China opposes any actions that go against what has been previously agreed upon by the parties."

The spokesman said China signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) with member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2002. According to the DOC, relevant disputes should be resolved through friendly dialogue and negotiations between countries directly concerned.

Mr. Hong Lei made the above comments after Chairman of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce met with Philippine officials on January 29.

During the meeting, Mr. Royce stressed that Beijing should agree with Manila to resolve the dispute before the matter is brought to the UN court to prevent conflict in the region.

Manila had previously asked the Arbitral Tribunal under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to order China to stop activities that the Philippines said violated the sovereignty of the Southeast Asian country.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Del Rosario also said the Philippines' submission said that the so-called "nine-dash line" as declared by Beijing, which encompasses almost the entire East Sea, including territorial waters and islands near neighboring countries, is illegal./.

According to (Vietnam+) - DT