China Voice: Drop fearmongering overSouth China Sea

BEIJING, April 16 (Xinhua) -- Despite China's repeated assertions on upholding peace in the South China Sea, rhetoric about China creating military threat in the region has been ratcheted up.

The most recent example is Philippine President Benigno Aquino's accusation thatChina's efforts to claim most of theSouth China Seashould "engender fear for the rest of the world."

Aside from the fact that the claim is groundless, using maritime disputes to peddle fear ofChinais irresponsible and of no value in settling the disputes. It is fearmongering for the sake of fear.

China's work on some of theNanshaIslandslandmasses in theSouth China Seafalls entirely within its sovereignty.

The root cause of the territorial disputes between the two countries isPhilippines' occupation since the 1970s of some of theNanshaIslands. It took them with force.

China's work on the islands mostly serves civil purposes apart from meeting the needs of military defense.Chinais aiming to provide shelter, aid in navigation, weather forecasts and fishery assistance to ships of various countries passing through the sea.

Moreover, as China embarks on building the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR), the trade and infrastructure network that will connect China with Southeast Asian nations, Africa and Europe, it is more than willing to turn the South China Sea into a platform for cooperation.

Running contrary to this vision, the idea ofChinasealing off shipping lanes or thwarting fishing activities is but ill-intentioned speculation.

Aquino's vague expression that "there was no guarantee that shipping lanes vital to global trade would remain open" suggested he was making assumptions.

Worse, he used the assumptions to support another ungrounded assertion thatChina's activities should spark fear all around the world.

Touting "Chinafear" based on assumptions is an audacious move. However, thePhilippinesis emboldened as it is merely echoing messages coming from the United States.

Just days ago, Barack Obama accusedChinaof using its "sheer size and muscle" to bully smaller claimants such as thePhilippinesandVietnamin theSouth China Seadisputes.

ThePhilippineshas over the years appealed to the sympathy of the international community and military protection from theUnited States, and created the mirage thatChinais a bully.

The trick is easy to sell as it caters to theU.S.penchant of hyping fear ofChina's intentions, particularly in evidence as it worries needlessly over the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Fear will only escalate tension and rivalry.Chinaholds the position that the disputes should be settled through direct negotiation and candid dialogue.

Chinais moving in this direction, with a meeting earlier this month between Premier Li Keqiang and the chief of the Vietnamese Communist Party establishing consensus on handling the disputes. Enditem

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中國聲音：不要借南海問題兜售中國威脅論

    新華社北京4月16日電 儘管中國重申維護南海和平，但指責中國在這一地區製造軍事威脅的論調卻甚囂塵上。

    菲律賓總統阿基諾最近的言論就是一個例子。他説中國試圖佔有南海大部分領域主權的努力會“引發各國恐懼”。

    且不論這樣的指責毫無道理，利用南海爭端來兜售對中國的恐懼是不負責任的，且對解決爭端毫無益處。這純粹是為恐懼而兜售恐懼。

    中國在南沙島礁的建設完全是自己主權範圍內的事情。

    上世紀70年代以來，菲律賓對中國南沙群島部分島礁實施武力侵佔，這是中菲南海爭議的核心和根源。

    中國在南沙島礁的建設除滿足必要的軍事防衛需求外，更多的是服務於各種民事需求，包括為過往各國船隻提供海上避難、航行援助、天氣預報和漁業生産等服務。

    此外，中國正致力於建設“２１世紀海上絲綢之路”，這個貿易與基礎設施網絡將中國和東南亞國家、非洲以及歐洲&&起來。中國非常希望南海能夠成為彼此間合作的&&。

    指責中國封鎖國際航運線路、打擊漁業活動完全是不懷好意的臆測，與中國加強合作的願景背道而馳。

    阿基諾在指責中國時説“很難保證國際貿易的重要航道還會保持開放”。這樣模棱兩可的表述説明他也只是在做主觀臆測。

    更糟糕的是，他就是用這樣一個假設來支撐自己對中國毫無道理的指責：中國試圖佔有南海大部分領域主權的努力會“引發各國恐懼”。

    兜售基於臆測之上的中國威脅論可謂大膽魯莽之舉，如此大膽是因為菲律賓只是在附和美國傳遞的信息。

    就在幾天前，貝拉克·奧巴馬説，中國在用自己的“塊頭和肌肉”將南海爭端中菲律賓和越南這樣的小國“擠到一邊”。

    菲律賓多年來都在尋求國際社會的同情和美國的軍事保護，製造出中國欺凌弱小的假象。

    而這樣的假象卻很好兜售，因為這恰好迎合了美國一直以來渲染中國動機可疑的嗜好。美國近來又表現出對中國倡導亞投行多餘的擔憂，再次印證了這一點。

    但是恐懼只能加劇對抗與緊張。中國一貫主張以直接談判和坦誠對話的形式解決爭端。

    中國也會朝此方向努力。本月早些時候李克強總理和越南共産黨領導人的會面便證明了這一點，雙方已就應對南海爭端達成了重要共識。（完）