Li lays out policy on South China Sea

Premier Li Keqiang delivers a keynote speech at the oepning ceremony of Boao Forum Asia.[Photo by Wu Zhiyi/chinadaily.com.cn]

Premier Li Keqiang said on Thursday that China will give full support to initiatives that strengthen maritime cooperation while also responding firmly to provocations that undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea.  [Special coverage]

"We Chinese believe in repaying kindness with kindness and meeting wrongdoing with justice," Li said at the opening ceremony of the 2014 annual conference of the Boao Forum for Asia held in south China's Hainan Province.

"We value friendship and never treat friends unfairly, and we also stand by principles and firmly uphold our fundamental position," he said.

According to Li, China is ready to steadily advance consultation on a code of conduct in the South China Sea within the framework of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and work with other nations to ensure stability and freedom of navigation in the region.

The premier also called for Asian countries to actively explore the establishment of a regional security cooperation framework in Asia.

"We should promote security dialogue and consultation, strengthen cooperation on non-traditional security issues, including disaster management, maritime search and rescue, counter-terrorism and combating transnational crimes," he said.