Beijing Appreciates Lavrov's Statement on South China Sea Dispute

Beijing has highly appreciated Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's calls to stop any external interference in the negotiations on the South China Sea dispute, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Wednesday.

BEIJING (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, Lavrov said that attempts to internationalize the issues related to the South China Sea were counterproductive, and all parties to the maritime dispute should search for mutually acceptable agreements.

"China has highly appreciated the Russian foreign minister's statement," the spokesman said.

Any attempts to influence the situation by countries not involved in regional disputes are nonconstructive, Lu added.

On Tuesday, Lu condemned a statement of the G7 foreign ministers, who voiced on Monday "strong opposition" to coercive unilateral actions undermining the status quo in the South and East China Seas disputes and urged all sides to refrain from land reclamation and any construction work in disputed areas.

The South China Sea contains a number of disputed islands. The Paracel Islands are controlled by China while being claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. The Spratly Islands are contested by China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia. In the East China Sea, China, Japan and South Korea are locked in a dispute over exclusive economic zones and the use of maritime resources.