China hits back at its critics on Saturday at a security dialogue in Singapore, insisting international law was on its side in a dispute with neighbours over the ownership of islands.
“I’m amazed how often you like to use the word international law, and sometimes it even sounds like you own the law,” said Fu Ying, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People’s Congress of China.
She was speaking at a special session on the maintenance of open seas at the Shangri-La Dialogue. China had been criticized earlier in the day by US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel for its “destabilizing unilateral action” in both the East and South China Seas.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a position against China in his Friday keynote speech by emphasising the “rule of law” and signalling support for Vietnam and the Philippines in their disputes with China over zones of the seas.
At the special session, Japan’s deputy minister for foreign affairs, Shinsuke Sugiyama, said international law had to be adhered to.
Ms. Fu retorted that Japan’s stance on international law had been undermined by its continued hunting of whales, despite a ruling by the International Court of Justice earlier this year that it must stop.
Vietnam’s defence minister, General Quang Thanh Phung, lauded his own nation’s “restraint,” but reiterated Hanoi’s demand that China remove an oil rig it installed near the Paracel archipelago.
Ms. Fu reaffirmed her country’s stance that islands in the South China Sea, including the Paracels, were discovered by China hundreds or thousands of years ago.
“China has a very clear claim on those islands,” she said.
Beijing’s relations with Japan, Vietnam and the Philippines have all been strained over competing claims in the mineral-rich sea area.
“America will not look the other way when fundamental principles of the international order are being challenged. We will uphold those principles,” Mr. Hagel said earlier.
Hagel said another archipelago, the Senkaku Islands - known as the Diaoyu in China - is covered by a mutual defence treaty between the US and Japan.
“In the case of the particular island you mentioned, they have been administered by Japan,” he said. “If there is to be a change in that, that should be done by international law, which should be done by international norms, not through intimidation and coercion.” Tension has soared in recent months over the competing territorial claims and the Singapore meeting is aimed at reducing the pressure.
Violence broke out earlier this month in Vietnam as anti-Chinese protests turned deadly. Protesters attacked industrial parks and factories, targeting those thought to be Chinese-run.
A Vietnamese fishing boat was sunk earlier this week. Vietnam alleges it was rammed by a Chinese vessel. China responded that the boat had capsized after “harassing” a Chinese ship.
Vietnam’s Thanh voiced reluctance to seek mediation in the dispute between Vietnam and China, labelling it an “undesirable option.” The Philippines has gone that route, filing a legal challenge against Beijing’s claim to territories in the South China Sea in a United Nations arbitration tribunal. China has refused to participate in the proceedings.
“We still have room for peaceful dialogue. We are considering possible options with regard to the use of international legal institutions, and if we have to use that, it is only as the last resort,” Mr. Thanh said.
“But we still hope, and we still want leaders of China and Vietnam to enter into talks.”
