Manila: China said it will lead in resolving the disputed claims on Spratly Islands off the South China Sea, adding that a third party like the United States should no longer participate in solving the problem, a local paper said.
The involvement of a third-party in the Spratlys issue will only "result [in the] complication of the issue," Liu Jianchao, Chinese ambassador to the Philippines told the Manila Times.
"This [Spratly Islands row] is an issue between China and relevant countries. We have the wisdom to face the issue... I believe it will be settled sooner or later. Involvement of a third party will only complicate the issue, and will [in] no way help the situation relax," Liu said.
He added that the "essence of the issue" is a bilateral one, and that all claimant countries must seek a "constructive settlement of the dispute". "If not handled properly, it may even result [in something] that neither countries would like to see," Liu warned.
A meeting of officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in Xintang, China, which started on Wednesday and ends today, will help ease tension in the Spratly Archipelago, Liu said.
Enhanced measures
"We are working with the countries in Asean for enhanced measures in preserving peace and stability. That is the purpose of this meeting," said Liu.
The ambassador added that it will centre on a non-binding edict signed by Asean member countries, regarding the Spartly issue.
He referred to the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) of Parties in the South China Sea, signed in 2002.
China, Taiwan, and Vietnam claim all of South China Sea while, Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines claim parts of Spratly Archipelago, said to be rich in oil and gas deposits.
