H.E. Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of China

May 17, 2016, New Delhi

Welcome to this photo exhibition and reception.

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. In this context, I would like to share with you my observations on the peaceful settlement of disputes through the appropriate application of judicial procedures. The ICJ has done a good job in promoting the peaceful settlement of disputes. Its role has been valued and appreciated by many countries. However, some few international judicial bodies have caused great controversy, criticism and concern from various countries including Asian and African countries. This should give us much food for thought. It reminds us that the application of international judicial procedures should be based on full respect for the will of the countries concerned as well as their prior consent and in full consultation of the countries concerned. In the initiation of procedures for the interpretation and application of international treaties, it is important to act with good faith, equity, impartiality, objectivity and prudence, and to avoid any ultra vires or abuse. It is also important that dispute settlement procedures should work for the resolution of disputes, instead of provoking or escalating differences, still less infringing upon the rights and interests of other countries under the pretext of the rule of law.

In this context, I would like to stress that, as a faithful supporter of international law, China is firmly committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiations, which is the primary means of dispute settlement in accordance with international law. This is also based on China’s understanding of international practice as well as its own rich national practices. Through friendly negotiations, and based on the principle of “one country, two systems”, China has properly handled issues concerning Hong Kong and Macao which had been left over from history, and thus added a China’s experience to the practices of peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiations. Through friendly negotiations, China has settled boundary questions with 12 of its 14 land neighbors and delimited around 20,000 kilometers of the boundary, accounting for 90% of China’s land border. China now maintaining active negotiation with India and Bhutan respectively on the resolution of boundary issues. Through friendly negotiations, China and Vietnam have delimited their maritime boundary in the Beibu Gulf. China and Vietnam also have committed to solving other maritime delimitation issues through negotiations. China and the Republic of Korea launched their negotiation on maritime delimitation in December 2015. Resolving disputes through negotiations has already been a regional rule for Asian countries. In 2002, China and ASEAN countries signed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and according to Article 4 of the Declaration, the Parties concerned undertake to resolve their territorial and jurisdictional disputes by peaceful means through friendly consultations and negotiations by sovereign states directly concerned. This is a common undertaking by China and ASEAN countries. In accordance with international law, Asian experience and China’s practices, we believe that bilateral negotiations have been becoming an effective approach to handling complicated and sensitive issues, as it fully respects the will of the countries concerned and sovereign equality between them. Moreover, the outcomes of negotiations are more acceptable to the people of those countries and can be implemented smoothly, and therefore more lasting.