Nonetheless, the South China Sea has been turned into troubled waters since it was found to be abundant in marine resources. Also under the UNCLOS, coastal states are given the right to an exclusive economic zone 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which their territorial sea is measured, which sows the seeds of escalating the disputes in the resources-rich waters.

Mired in a mess of "cultural revolution" (1966-76), China was tied up tackling massive social upheaval, and from that period on Vietnam and the Philippines have occupied most of the islands and reefs in the region. Vietnam has occupied 29 of them and denied its previous diplomatic note, excusing itself based on the special bilateral ties at that time, and saying the note was released in a "complicated and urgent context", in which war with the United States was escalating. Such inconsistency is a sufficient cause for national disgrace.

On the premise that the sovereignty of the territories concerned belongs to China, Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping advanced the concept of "setting aside disputes and pursuing joint development". As an embodiment of China's "he" value, it provides a win-win and mutually beneficial approach for the peaceful settlement of the disputes.

In 2002, China and Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in Phnom Penh. It attached great importance to friendly negotiation and consultation to solve the disputes through peaceful means and urged all parties to maintain restraint and refrain from complicating and escalating the disputes. Disappointingly, some parties have deliberately resorted to the use of non-dialogue means and even force.

Although international treaties such as the Treaty of Paris (1898) between the US and Spain defined 118 degree east longitude as the western limit of Philippine territory, and the Huangyan Island is obviously outside the defined border, Manila sent a warship to harass Chinese fishing vessels which sailed into the waters of Huangyan Island to shelter from bad weather last year.

In May, a fishing boat from Taiwan was fired on from an armed Philippine vessel in the disputed waters and the captain of the fishing boat was killed. Even if there was an intrusion, there was no reason to spray bullets at a civilian vessel.

For thousands of years, Chinese culture has embraced the Confucian philosophy that "harmony is of paramount importance where the rites apply". China will unswervingly stick to the path of a peaceful rise. The use of force will not be the first choice of a country that cherishes the "he" value so much, but it is noteworthy that it has to be the last resort to defend State sovereignty and territorial integrity.

The author is deputy secretary-general of the National Security Policy Committee under the China Association of Policy Science Study.

(China Daily 10/18/2013 page8)