Official: China will adhere to peaceful resolution in disputes

World Today

General Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission said at China’s 6th annual Xiangshan Forum that China will continue to use peaceful resolutions to disputes and will never resort to the easy solution of using force.

CCTV’s Han Bin reports from Beijing:

Fan addressed the participants in the two-day meeting which is focused on security in the Asia-Pacific region and is organized by the China Society of Military Sciences, and the China Institute for International Strategic Studies. The forum is considered a key security meeting in Asia with a growing number of global attendees.

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China will also try hard to avoid unintended conflict in protecting its sovereignty and the armed forces will take on greater international responsibilities in global security, Fan said.

“Asian countries should join hands to handle challenges in security and other fields, and always keep common interests and responsibilities in mind,” Fan added.

His remarks are in line with Chinese leaders’ calls to build closer ties and a community of common destiny with other nations at a time when security in Asia is lacking consensus and long-existing thorny disputes remain unsolved.

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“The international community has attached great attention to China’s construction on some islands in the South China Sea, feeling the pace of construction is a bit fast. But reclamation has never affected freedom of navigation,” Fan said.

“China is constructing on its own territories and will provide better services with upgraded facilities. Even when it comes to the issue of territorial sovereignty, we promote dialogue, and will never give an easy solution by using force, and try hard to avoid misfires.”

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China’s military is also undergoing a transformation, with the focus on quality. The People’s Liberation Army has undertaken U.N. missions in the Gulf of Aden, and will expand its anti-piracy operations in other regions. China has also sent ground troops to conflict zones in Africa and the country has promised to take the lead in setting up a permanent peacekeeping police squad with a standby force of 8,000 troops.