China Voice: Hype only hurts South China Sea disputes

As some countries and international media outlets are keen to hype up the South China Sea disputes, it's imperative to point out such attempts do not help solve the disagreements.

And discussing bilateral disputes at multilateral meetings and dragging biased third parties into the debate only aggravate differences and conflicts.

The thing about the hype is that distortion of facts and exaggerations always come with it. Speaking at the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said China felt it necessary to speak the truth and make its stance clear.

So what has been hyped up about the South China Sea? For one, China has been groundlessly accused of militarizing the South China Sea and infringing on freedom of navigation.

By carrying out construction projects in its own territory, China aims to provide services in maritime search and rescue, disaster relief and maritime safety. It has no intention to limit freedom of navigation.

Notably, Washington is trumpeting the idea that freedom of navigation is being threatened to find an excuse for military actions that violate international law.

Moreover, Washington has demanded China freeze its construction of civilian facilities in the South China Sea, while turning a blind eye to other countries' occupation of Chinese islets and mounting military construction on them.

The United States is not a party in the South China Sea, and it should think about how the issue will affect the big picture for Sino-U.S. relations.

Wang Yi told the world that China welcomes constructive comments on maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea. However, double standards are not allowed.

China and the United States have reached consensus on building a new type of relationship between major countries, and they do enjoy tremendous cooperation on many international and bilateral issues. Their common interests lie in cooperation.

What will help solve the South China Sea disputes? As Wang Yi proclaimed, China's basic position is resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respect for historical facts and international laws, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

China and ASEAN have agreed on the "dual-track" approach, which indicates that relevant disputes should be addressed by countries directly concerned through friendly consultation and negotiation.

Sticking to this principle will help build consensus, while smear campaigns will do the opposite. Endi