Phnom Penh: China has reasserted its sovereignty over the disputed island of Huangyan in South China Sea.
China disapproves of any attempt at the East Asia Summit to highlight territorial and maritime disputes, Wen said at the summit in Cambodian capital Phnom Penh Tuesday. In response to the mentioning of the island at the summit, Wen said Huangyan is an integral part of Chinese territory and that its sovereignty is indisputable.
China`s actions to defend the island`s sovereignty are legitimate, and its stance on the issue is clear and consistent, China Daily Wednesday quoted him as saying.
The Philippines has also claimed its sovereignty over the island, which lies between the Macclesfield Bank and Luzon island of the Philippines. China, as a continental and maritime country, attaches importance to the peace, stability, free navigation and security in the South China Sea, Wen added.
China and countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) agreed on important principles and reached consensus when signing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea 10 years ago, Wen said.
IANS