Extra-regional forces disrupt peace, stability, development in South China Sea: report

BEIJING, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) : Extra-regional forces, with the United States at the forefront, are disrupting peace, stability, and the development environment in the South China Sea region, according to a report released on Thursday.

The report, titled “Incitement, Threats, and Lies — The Truth about External Forces Interfering in the South China Sea Issue,” was released by Xinhua Institute, a think tank affiliated with Xinhua News Agency.

The interference of U.S.-led extra-regional forces in the South China Sea issue has prompted some regional states to divert substantial energy and resources toward provocative confrontations. This shift has come at the expense of their own domestic economic and social development, disrupted foreign trade, investment, and cooperation, the report notes.

Furthermore, the report highlights that the interference of these extra-regional powers has significantly intensified the militarization of the South China Sea, disrupted negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the region, eroded mutual trust among regional states, and obstructed them from deepening practical cooperation.

This report is part of a series of three reports on the South China Sea issue released by the Xinhua Institute. The other two reports are titled “Historical and Legal Basis of China’s Territorial Sovereignty and Maritime Rights in the South China Sea,” and “Making the South China Sea a Sea of Peace, Friendship and Cooperation: China’s Actions.”