FM press conference on July 12 (2)

Q: The Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario criticized China on the South China Sea issue when addressing an experts' roundtable in Belgium, arguing that the Philippines had exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues for a peaceful settlement of its dispute with China and its last resort therefore was to utilize the legal track of international arbitration. What is China's comment?

A: While resolutely safeguarding national territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, China stays committed to solving territorial and maritime disputes through negotiation and consultation. China has repeatedly made clear its position on the Philippines' taking of the South China Sea issue to international arbitration. China's rejection of the Philippines' request for arbitration has a solid basis in international law. The Philippines' claim that "it had exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues for a peaceful settlement of the dispute" is completely not true. China has repeatedly suggested to the Philippines that the two sides could resume the existing consultation mechanism or establish new ones. But we have not yet got any response from the Philippine side. The Philippines is keen on attacking China in international settings while unilaterally shutting the door for negotiation and consultation. Such practice is anything but helpful to solve the issue. China urges the Philippine side to change its wrong course, stop misleading public opinion and come back to the right track of solving the dispute through bilateral negotiation and consultation.