On June 27, 2013, at the luncheon of the Second World Peace Forum, Foreign Minister Wang Yi answered questions on the issue of South China Sea. Wang Yi said that China holds clear and consistent position on the Nansha islands issue. Successive Governments of China have always adhered to the position and got wide support from the Chinese people. This position will not be and is impossible for any change. We will continue to unswervingly safeguard our national sovereignty, rights and interests. In recent years, a number of disputes have been stirred up in South China Sea. When we look into the facts, none of these disputes were started or caused by China. Some individual country illegally grounded warships and constructed buildings on the reef within China's territorial sovereignty, and unilaterally called for international arbitration in these bilateral disputes. These actions, which expand and complicate the disputes, violate not only the spirit of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) but also the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the South China Sea. To deal with such provocations, China has every reason to make necessary responses.

Wang Yi stressed that, with the most sincerity and patience, China is willing to abide by the rules of DOC and continue to seek proper solutions to related disputes through dialogue and negotiation between the countries directly concerned, so as to maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea. Pending the settlement of disputes, we propose shelving differences and seeking joint development. If some individual country choose the course of confrontation, it will lead nowhere. If they attempt to reinforce their illegitimate claims by relying on outside forces, it is futile and will prove to be a strategic misjudgment that will bring more losses than gains.