Calling the South China Sea a Common Home for China and ASEAN Countries, Chinese Think Tank: Stability Brings Benefits, Chaos Brings Misfortune

On the 8th, China's Xinhua News Agency National High-end Think Tank released a think tank report titled "China's Practice of Building the South China Sea into a Sea of Peace, Friendship, and Cooperation" to the world. The report calls for China and ASEAN countries to "hold the key to solving the South China Sea issue in their own hands."

The report mentions that the South China Sea is a common home for China and ASEAN countries. If the South China Sea is stable, regional countries benefit; if it is chaotic, regional countries suffer. The report calls for the countries surrounding the South China Sea to hold the key to solving the South China Sea issue in their own hands, fully recognizing the significant importance of enhancing the awareness of the maritime community with a shared future, and through dialogue, consultation, economic integration, and multi-track exchanges, truly make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation.

The report consists of 3 chapters and 10 sections. The first chapter introduces China's practices in building a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation. The second chapter proposes the guiding 4C principles (settling disputes through negotiation and consultation, managing differences through rule mechanisms, achieving win-win outcomes through mutually beneficial cooperation, and opposing interference from external forces). The third chapter expresses China's willingness to work with regional countries to build the South China Sea into a maritime community with a shared future.

Regarding opposition to external forces' interference, the report targets the United States, stating that China's maintenance of sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea islands does not affect the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by foreign ships and aircraft under international law. "In contrast, the U.S. military's surveillance activities in the South China Sea targeting China have become increasingly aggressive in recent years, frequently approaching mainland China and Hainan Island's airspace, continually setting new records for proximity to China's coastline. Annually, approximately 100 aircraft sorties approach the airspace of mainland China and Hainan Island, with most coming within less than 30 nautical miles of the baseline of its territorial sea."

The report believes that China's principles for turning the South China Sea into a sea of peace, friendship, and cooperation are consistent, namely adhering to resolving disputes through negotiation and consultation, managing differences through rule mechanisms, achieving win-win results through mutually beneficial cooperation, and opposing interference from external forces.

The report mentions that this theme was launched in October 2024, with over half a year of interviews, research, writing, revision, and review to complete.

China has sovereignty and sovereign rights disputes over the South China Sea islands and waters with countries like the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia. However, in 2020, China clarified that it does not claim all waters within the 'nine-dash line' in the South China Sea as internal waters and territorial sea.