UN calls for dialog over South China Sea disputes
United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has urged dialog to resolve territorial disputes in the South China Sea, calling on all sides to avoid provocative measures.
Ban made the remarks in a joint news conference with Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang in the capital, Hanoi, on Friday.
"I have consistently called on all parties concerned to resolve their disputes through dialog in conformity with international law," he said, adding, "It is important to avoid actions that would provoke or exacerbate the tension."
Sang, for his part, told reporters that he had asked the UN chief and the international organization to make an "active contribution" to a peaceful solution for the issue.
Beijing claims sovereignty over nearly all of the South China Sea, which is also claimed in part by Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Over the past months, tensions have escalated between China and its neighbors over the contested territories, which are believed to be rich in oil and gas. The United States has taken sides with its allies against Beijing.
Washington accuses Beijing of undergoing what it calls a “land reclamation” program in the South China Sea by building artificial islands in the disputed areas.
China, however, says the United States is meddling in the regional issues and deliberately stirring up tensions in the South China Sea by sending more ships, aircraft and troops to the region.
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