Full coverage: South China Sea Is Indisputable Part of China

China has reaffirmed that its construction work in the South China Sea is lawful and reasonable. Wu Haitao, China's deputy permanent representative to the UN,  made the declaration at a meeting, on issues concerning the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea at the UN headquarters.

In regards to the South China Sea arbitration case unilaterally filed by the Philippines, Wu said that the case is a matter of territorial sovereignty and delimitation of maritime boundaries. He said the real intention is to deny China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, which are manifestly not the matter the arbitration procedures under the Convention apply to.

He also stressed that China has been paying high attention to peace and stability in the region, calling for all parties to defend the authority and integrity of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.