Why dual-track approach most effective to solve South China Sea disputes?

BEIJING - The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague has said that it will issue an award on July 12 on the South China Sea case unilaterally initiated by the Philippines.

China has said that it does not accept and will not participate in the arbitration, and will never recognize the so-called "award," as it is illegal, null and void.H On the South China Sea disputes, China advocates a "dual-track" approach, namely peacefully and properly handling the disputes left from history through direct talks between the parties involved and jointly maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea with the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

This should be the most effective and viable, and the only way, to resolve the South China Sea disputes. The following is the rationale behind this Chinese initiative:

First, consultation and negotiation by countries directly concerned are the most practical and feasible way to resolve disputes, a principle in compliance with the peaceful settlement of disputes through negotiation advocated by the UN Charter.

Second, it also conforms to one of the most important provisions in the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), signed by China and ASEAN countries in 2002.

Third, peace and stability in the South China Sea concerns the real interests of all littoral countries of the South China Sea. It is the responsibility and obligation of all sides to work together to uphold peace and stability in the region.

Past experiences prove that as long as all concerned parties remain committed to the "dual-track" approach and encourage positive interactions between efforts along the two tracks, they are well capable of effectively managing and properly handling specific disputes and maintaining overall peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

Fourth, such an approach to dispute settlement on a bilateral basis is an inheritance of the "Bandung Spirit." China and its Asian neighbors should properly resolve disputes and prevent them from being capitalized on by certain countries to sabotage stability in the Asia-Pacific region.

Sixty years ago, China chose to actively participate in the conference in Bandung, Indonesia, to create a peaceful international environment favorable to the newly founded People's Republic of China. The principle of "seeking common ground by shelving differences," later known as the "Bandung Spirit," contributed much to the success of the milestone conference.