China on Thursday reiterated its willingness to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea with southeast Asian neighbors.
"China's policy on the South China Sea is consistent and clear, and will not change," Foreign Ministry representative Hua Chunying told a regular press briefing.
Hua was responding to reports in the Wall Street Journal that China's island building in the sea does not upset the balance, but restores it.
Hua noted that China will maintain peace and stability on the South China Sea with ASEAN, solve disputes through direct negotiation and consultation, strengthen regional mechanism and rules, fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), push forward the negotiation on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC), and persist in common development and reciprocal cooperation in the South China Sea.
