BEIJING, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Guidelines on the South China Sea adopted by China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) demonstrate once again that dialogue and consultation are the golden rule for maintaining regional peace and stability.
During the just-concluded China-ASEAN leaders' meeting in Laos, China and the regional bloc issued a joint statement on the application of the Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES) in the South China Sea as well as a guideline on a senior diplomat hotline to cope with maritime emergencies.
Countries in the region will benefit most from peace in the South China Sea and suffer the most from chaos in the area.
History and facts have repeatedly shown that the South China Sea can only be peaceful and stable if countries in the region hold the key to fixing the problems.
Some countries outside the region, displaying a Cold War mentality, have attempted to meddle in issues in the region, breaking the original regional balance and sowing discord between China and ASEAN members in recent years.
With the joint efforts of China and the ASEAN, the South China Sea situation has cooled down as both sides have worked together to eliminate interference and properly handle issues according to the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the "dual-track approach."
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