Writer Tian Sulei
BEIJING, March 10 (Xinhua) -- In view of the disturbing development of events, countries around the South China Sea should maintain the dominant role in addressing issues in this region.
It is a plain fact that only countries in this region are most impacted by events in the South China Sea, whether bad or good. Only they are capable of making decisions in the best interests of their "neighborhood," unlike countries far from the center of events.
Harmony and prosperity in the region are under threat, largely due to the intervention of parties from outside the region. It is time for neighbors to work together for the common good of the community and firmly take the helm of regional affairs to prevent the area from becoming the "second Middle East."
For thousands of years, the South China Sea has generally enjoyed peace, suffering only a brief period of invasion by Japanese troops. Coastal countries have co-existed peacefully and harmoniously, to the envy of people in the world's conflict "hot spots." While minor friction has occasionally occurred, it has always been solved quickly and amicably.
This peaceful atmosphere has been upset by the sudden showy increase in warships and bombers from countries outside the region under the high-sounding pretext of maintaining freedom of navigation and flight, although such freedoms have never been under threat.
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