BEIJING, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The current situation in the South China Sea is the result of "entangling effect of the actions and reactions along multiple lines" and confrontation over the issue would benefit none, a senior Chinese diplomat said in an article.
The article, co-authored by Fu Ying, chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National People's Congress of China, and Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute of the South China Sea, was published on Monday in the U.S. magazine The National Interest.
Titled "South China Sea: How We Got to This Stage," the article reviews the chain of events leading to the escalation of tensions in the South China Sea, lays out China's policy objectives and calls on relevant players to cooperate so as to seek viable solutions to the disputes.
Starting by presenting the stark differences in public opinion in both China and the United States regarding the South China Sea issue, the two authors make a convincing case that the elements that pushed the spiraling twists and turns include not only sovereignty, resources and strategic security considerations, but also tangible interests, among other factors.
The article notes that the United States as a power from outside the region has "played a major role by coming into the issue and adjusting its policies toward the region since 2009."
"The U.S. is trying to find out what China's next move will be. On the part of China, suspicion is rising about the U.S. intention. Obviously, there is a risk of escalation of tension and danger of miscalculations at strategic level," the article says.
The article explains why the Chinese people and government are very sensitive about issues related to territorial integrity.
"To observe China, one should never lose sight of the historical dimension. Though China is growing into a strong country, the painful memory of history is not long gone. The Chinese people have not forgotten that the country stumbled into the 20th century with its capital under the occupation of the imperialist armies, and for over a century before and after, China suffered the humiliation of foreign invasion and aggression."
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