MOSCOW, November 17 (Sputnik) — China will not use force to further its agenda, for such efforts are doomed to failure, the country’s President Xi Jinping said, adding that Beijing is “dedicated to upholding peace”, as quoted by AFP.
“A review of history shows that countries that attempted to pursue development with force invariably failed,” Xi said in an address to the Australian parliament. “This is what history teaches us. China is dedicated to upholding peace. Peace is precious and needs to be protected,” he added. “Those who follow it will prosper and those who go against it will perish,” Xi concluded, as quoted by the Australian.
Xi also warned of forces that might shatter peace. “We must always be on high alert against the factors that may deprive us of peace,” China’s president stressed, as quoted by AFP.
In his remarks, Xi indirectly referred to the territorial disputes China has been locked in. China and Japan, the two biggest economies in Asia, have claimed islands, known in China as the Diaoyu and in Japan as the Senkakus. Both nations have repeatedly scrambled fighter jets following reports of alleged incursion and engaged in powerful rhetoric fueling fears the dispute could lead to large-scale confrontation.
Another dispute involves the Paracel islands, contested between China, Vietnam and Taiwan. In May, China sent an oil rig to the 5,800 square mile archipelago located 150 miles off Vietnam's coast, sparking a fresh round of tensions in the region, according to the Guardian. Beijing’s move resulted in violent protests in Vietnam, which left several nationals of both countries dead.
These are a few examples of territorial disputes that China is eager to resolve peacefully. “It is China’s long-standing position to address peacefully its disputes with countries concerned and territorial sovereignty and maritime interests through dialogue and consultation,” Xi said, as quoted by AFP.
“China has settled land boundary issues with 12 out of its 14 neighbors through friendly consultation. And we will continue to work in this direction,” Xi elaborated.
“The Chinese government is ready to enhance dialogue and cooperation with relevant countries to maintain freedom of navigation and the safety of maritime routes, and ensure a maritime border of peace, tranquility and cooperation,” China’s president said, as quoted by the news agency.
China’s president Xi Jinping visited Canberra after the conclusion of the G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia.
