REDUCING SPACE FOR CHINA TO BE MISREAD

Fu, who answered questions and explained China's policies at the Shangri-La Dialogue, said China does need to think about how it can better communicate with the rest of the world so that people could understand China's ideas and thoughts better and know them more timely.

"One of the most frequently asked questions at the Shangri-La Dialogue is: 'China is so powerful, so what changes will it bring to this region and the world?' Obviously China is now seen as a major power in the world," she said.

She added that she expects people from other countries to be following the latest developments related to China more closely and with more critical eyes.

"Misunderstanding and misreading can often make it hard to see the truth, especially when others do not have enough knowledge about China and when there still exists the Cold War mind-set," she said.

Responding to a question on maritime disputes in South and East China Seas, Fu said China has always been opposed to unilateral changes to the status quo or provocations in these areas, adding that its policy has always been the peaceful solution of the disputes through consultation and negotiations between the countries involved.

However, she said, China has faced unilateral provocations by certain countries in recent years, with some not only creating incidents but also taking dangerous actions that could jeopardize regional security.

"China has had to respond effectively and forcefully to the provocations to defend our interests, while we have to prevent the situation from running out of control, uphold the consensuses that have been achieved by various parties, and safeguard regional stability," she said.

ASEAN CENTRALITY

Fu said the core of the South China Sea issue is the overlapping of sovereign disputes over some islands and reefs in the Nansha Islands and claims on maritime interests.

China is committed to settling the disputes through direct negotiations and friendly consultations with other claimants based on respect for historical facts and international laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), she said.

The NPC ratified the UNCLOS in 1996. The spirit of peaceful use of seas in the UNCLOS reflects the common aspirations of mankind, even though it is not a perfect law as many of the stipulations are not specific enough, she noted.

As the UNCLOS does not touch upon disputes of sovereign claims, which is clearly written in the preface of the document, nobody can unilaterally declare an exclusive economic zone and then use it as an excuse to claim islands in the waters in question, Fu said.

She said the UNCLOS is only part of international laws, which also include the United Nations Charter and the international codes and practices.

Bilateral and multilateral agreements and consensus, including the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), which was concluded in 2002 among China and the ASEAN countries, are also an important part of the international rules, she said.

China will continue to work with the countries involved to keep on communication, enhance mutual political trust, and carry out maritime cooperation, so as to create an environment for managing differences and resolving disputes, she said.

Beijing will also work with the ASEAN countries to effectively implement the DOC while working on a code of conduct within the framework of the DOC, Fu noted.