South China Sea actions 'legal': UN representative

China's activities on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea "fall entirely within the scope of China's sovereignty" and will not damage the marine environment and ecosystem of the area, said Wang Min, China's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

"It's legal, justified, and reasonable. The primary purpose of these activities is to improve the working and living conditions of personnel stationed there, to better fulfill our international obligations concerning maritime search and rescue, disaster prevention and mitigation, and to enable China to provide better services to vessels from China, her neighbors, and other countries sailing in the South China Sea," he said.

Wang was responding to remarks by Lourdes Yparraguirre, the Phillipines' permanent representative to the UN, on June 12 during a meeting of state parties on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Yparraguirre brought up the South China Sea issue in her remarks, saying that China should desist from its actions "in areas where it has no sovereign rights or jurisdiction under the convention" and "refrain from altering the status quo" and "exercise self restraint".

China has said that its sovereignty and rights in the area have a historical foundation, and that its construction in the South China Sea fulfills its obligations as a big nation. Chinese Foreign Ministry said in May that construction has not caused problems to air or sea navigation and has urged the US to not take sides on the issue.

Wang said that China's construction activities follow high standards of environmental protection and that they will not undermine other countries' "lawful right of navigation" in the South China Sea.

The ambassador said that the meeting on June 12 was not the right venue to discuss the issue, and that the Philippines' purpose is to "deceive the international community and pressure China into making compromises and concessions on issues concerning its sovereignty and territorial integrity."

China's will to safeguard her sovereignty and territorial integrity, Wang said, "is firm as a rock. No matter what and how much they say at this meeting - or any other UN venues - they will never achieve their purpose." He said China urges the Philippines to resolve the dispute through bilateral negotiations as soon as possible.

At the meeting, Wang also talked more broadly about the state of the world's oceans, and that the countries of the world should cooperate in responding to the challenges faced by the seas.

"The Chinese government takes sustainable maritime development very seriously," Wang said.

"In over 30 years of reform and opening up, it has actively advocated for the concepts of integrated maritime management and building of a marine conservation culture, promoting the strategy of maritime development through science and technology, and advanced maritime economic development."

amyhe@chinadailyusa.com