China's resumption of sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao an integral part of post-war order: experts

BEIJING, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- An international seminar focused on reviewing the historical documents of the South China Sea was held in Beijing on Saturday, to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the victory in the World Anti-Fascist War.

Over 40 participants from home and abroad attended the meeting, many of whom believe that China's resumption of sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao, known in English as the South China Sea islands, after World War II, was and remains an important part of the post-war order established by international legal documents such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation.

Wu Jilu, director general of the China Institute for Marine Affairs (CIMA) under the Ministry of Natural Resources, said that China's resumption of sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao should be firmly upheld -- as maintaining the international order established after World War II is crucial for achieving lasting peace and stability.

Hou Yi, a researcher with the Institute of Chinese Borderland Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, highlighted that China was the earliest country to discover and name Nanhai Zhudao, and also reviewed how China had developed and managed the region since the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), with its endeavors ranging from activities such as fishing and guano mining to public services including surveying, search and rescue, and sea turtle conservation.

Hou added that before the 1970s, no countries bordering the South China Sea had challenged China's sovereignty and maritime rights there. However, some countries later illegally occupied islands and reefs in the region and opted to intensify disputes.

"China has historic rights in the South China Sea. Chinese people's habitation and production, endorsed by evidence from archives and maps, show that China has indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao," said Hou. He also said that China has maintained the post-war regional order and taken on its international responsibilities by providing public goods and services in these waters.

The seminar, organized by the CIMA with assistance from the College of Liberal Arts of Shanghai University, attracted experts and scholars from countries including China, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United Kingdom. Participants also discussed subjects on managing disputes and building the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.

Anna Malindog-Uy, vice president of the Asian Century Philippines Strategic Studies Institute, a think tank based in Manila, said understanding the history of the South China Sea plays an important role for countries around the region in analyzing disputes and seeking solutions.

"China is proposing negotiation, diplomacy and peaceful settlement of issues in the South China Sea. It tries to make the world a safer and better place," she said, adding that once the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) between China and ASEAN countries is concluded, it will serve as a viable crisis management tool.

The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), signed in 2002 by China and ASEAN member states, outlines the most important principles in the management of disputes regarding the South China Sea. Consultations on the COC involving China and ASEAN member states were launched in 2013. Both the DOC and the COC are aimed at safeguarding peace and stability in the region.

Fu Kuenchen, a professor with the Belt and Road Research Institute of Xiamen University in east China's Fujian Province, said that countries bordering the South China Sea should reach a consensus in terms of COC consultations, value peace-loving cultural traditions, and work together to build a collaborative and harmonious community.

"The community can engage in cooperation in some low-sensitivity programs, such as joint enforcement of fishing moratoriums, conserving the environment, construction of navigation safety facilities, and emergency search and rescue," said Fu.

"Stakeholders beyond the region should not meddle and create disturbances, and should respect the tradition and dispute management of countries bordering the South China Sea," Fu added.  ■