Sri Lanka supports China's stance on South China Sea issue

The Sri Lankan government understands China's stance on the South China Sea issue and supports countries concerned in solving the maritime disputes through negotiation, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Friday.

He made the remarks when meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.

Samaraweera said Sri Lanka supports countries directly concerned in addressing the sea disputes through negotiation based on international law and international practices.

Wang briefed him on China's stance on the South China Sea issue, stressing that China insists on peaceful settlement of the disputes through dialogue and negotiation.

As per the rights endowed by the international law, China dose not accept or participate in the unilaterally-initiated arbitration by the Philippines, said the Chinese minister.

China will also not recognize or implement the so-called arbitral ruling, he added.

An arbitral tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague said it will hand down the ruling on July 12 after the Philippines unilaterally initiated an arbitration case against China in 2013 over disputes in the South China Sea.

China has reiterated that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case and the relevant subject-matter, and it should not have heard the case or rendered any "award."
Source:XINHUA