Agence France-Presse
June 29th, 2011
China on Wednesday reiterated that it has “indisputable sovereignty” over islands in the South China Sea after the United States pledged to help the Philippines, which has its own claims in the area.
A spokesman for China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, Yang Yi, also repeated the government position that safeguarding the sovereignty of the area’s potentially resource-rich islets was a “common responsibility” for Beijing and Taipei.
“China has indisputable sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and their surrounding waters,” Yang told reporters, according to an official transcript.
China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan have overlapping claims to parts of the South China Sea, which is believed to have vast oil and gas deposits, while its shipping lanes are vital for global trade.
The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today!