WASHINGTON, June 1 (Xinhua) -- The China-U.S. relations are too important that they should not be allowed to be hijacked by the South China Sea issue, Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai said Wednesday.
In an opinion piece published on bloomberg.com, Cui pointed out that China and the U.S. share important interests, and they "have significant potential for cooperation."
"We may have major differences, but we also share important interests, including maintaining regional peace and stability, supporting freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law, and resolving disputes through peaceful negotiations and diplomatic dialogue," Cui wrote.
"The region should not become a competing ground for China and the U.S.," he added.
Cui mentioned that some of the perceptions in the United States and elsewhere about China's policy and intentions in the area "are misplaced."
"A pressing task is to understand the facts and China's intentions correctly so as to avoid real danger and consequences as a result of misinterpretation and miscalculation," Cui emphasized.
China believes it is doing nothing more than maintaining and defending legitimate territorial claims and maritime rights in the South China Sea, and its reclamation and construction activities are mainly for civilian purposes and public good, the ambassador said.
Read the full story at Xinhua