Russia backs China on SCS; says no to external interference

Russia on Friday backed China’s stand on the disputed South China Sea (SCS) issue and said external forces should not interfere in the maritime dispute, an apparent reference to the US presence in the area.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi here and told him that the SCS issue should be resolved peacefully through political means, such as negotiations between the parties directly concerned, while external forces should refrain from interfering.

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and international laws, including the pacts reached between China and ASEAN, are the legal frameworks that should be followed, said Lavrov, who is here to attend the 5th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia and for an official visit to China. While China, which claims sovereignty over almost all of the SCS, calls for direct talks with parties, it also opposed UNCLOS arbitration of the Philippines petition.

Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan oppose China’s claims.

China opposes US pivot to Asia specially spreading its influence in the area by extending backing various claimants. Lavrov and Wang agreed that the South China Sea disputes should be resolved through negotiations between parties directly concerned on the basis of respecting historical facts and international laws, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. The international community and countries outside the region should contribute to stability in the region, rather than muddy up the situation, they agreed.

Regarding China-Russia ties, Lavrov said the priority of Russia’s foreign policy was to develop relations with China. Russia was willing to work with China to prepare for President Vladimir Putin’s visit to Beijing and enhance economic and trade, investment, big projects and culture cooperation, he said.