BEIJING: China’s President Xi Jinping, in separate meetings with the leaders of the Philippines and Vietnam, said disputes over the South China Sea should be resolved bilaterally, state media reported on Sunday.
The comments underscore Beijing’s opposition to involving other countries or international organizations in the maritime territorial dispute, where claimants to the waters also include Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Experts say China prefers a ‘divide and conquer’ tactic over allowing its opponents to group together.
Beijing has also repeatedly blamed the United States for stirring up trouble in the South China Sea, and opposes an arbitration tribunal’s July ruling in favor of the Philippines, rejecting China’s claims to economic rights across large swathes of the waters.
During a meeting in Peru, Xi told Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte “to actively mull maritime cooperation and promote positive interaction on the sea,” turning the South China Sea into “an opportunity for bilateral friendly cooperation,” said the official Xinhua news agency.
That sentiment was echoed by Duterte, Xinhua reported. The Philippines president has overseen a rapid improvement of previously frosty relations between the two countries since taking office in June.
The Philippines “is willing to properly address maritime issues with China through dialogue and consultation,” said Xinhua.
Xi made similar overtures to Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang while attending a summit of Asia-Pacific countries in Lima.
The Chinese president said the two countries should “solve disputes through bilateral consultations and dialogues, adhere to a cooperative path of ‘shelving differences and engaging in joint development,’ and properly address problems in order to maintain regional peace and tranquillity,” Xinhua said.
The Chinese news agency did not say whether Quang also addressed the South China Sea.
On Thursday, a US think tank reported that Vietnam is extending a runway on an island it claims in the South China Sea, in apparent response to China’s building of military facilities on artificial islands in the region.
(Reporting by Paul Carsten)
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China presses Philippines, Vietnam to keep South China Sea issues bilateral
China presses Philippines, Vietnam to keep South China Sea issues bilateral
Venezuelan lawmaker says 379 political prisoners granted amnesty
- Venezuela’s National Assembly unanimously adopted the law on Thursday, providing hope that hundreds of political prisoners behind bars may soon be released
CARACAS: Venezuelan authorities granted amnesty to 379 political prisoners, a lawmaker overseeing the process said on Friday, after a new mass amnesty law was enacted following the ouster of former leader Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela’s National Assembly unanimously adopted the law on Thursday, providing hope that hundreds of political prisoners behind bars may soon be released.
National Assembly deputy Jorge Arreaza said in a televised interview on Friday that a total of 379 people “must be released, granted amnesty, between tonight and tomorrow morning.”
“Requests have been submitted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to the competent courts to grant amnesty measures,” he said.
Many relatives of prisoners across Venezuela have waited outside jails for weeks for the potential release of their loved ones.
Hundreds have already been granted conditional release by Interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s government since the deadly US raid that seized Maduro.
The NGO Foro Penal had said before the announcement that some 650 were detained, a toll that has not been updated since.
Foro Penal director Alfredo Romero said Friday that receiving “amnesty is not automatic,” but would require a process in the courts, viewed by many as an arm of Maduro’s repression.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Venezuelans have been jailed in recent years over plots, real or imagined, to overthrow Maduro’s government.
Rodriguez was formerly Maduro’s vice president and took his place as the South American country’s leader with the consent of US President Donald Trump, provided that she toe Washington’s line.
The United States has taken over control of Venezuela’s oil sales, with Trump vowing a share for Washington in the profits.
Venezuela’s National Assembly unanimously adopted the law on Thursday, providing hope that hundreds of political prisoners behind bars may soon be released.
National Assembly deputy Jorge Arreaza said in a televised interview on Friday that a total of 379 people “must be released, granted amnesty, between tonight and tomorrow morning.”
“Requests have been submitted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office to the competent courts to grant amnesty measures,” he said.
Many relatives of prisoners across Venezuela have waited outside jails for weeks for the potential release of their loved ones.
Hundreds have already been granted conditional release by Interim President Delcy Rodriguez’s government since the deadly US raid that seized Maduro.
The NGO Foro Penal had said before the announcement that some 650 were detained, a toll that has not been updated since.
Foro Penal director Alfredo Romero said Friday that receiving “amnesty is not automatic,” but would require a process in the courts, viewed by many as an arm of Maduro’s repression.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Venezuelans have been jailed in recent years over plots, real or imagined, to overthrow Maduro’s government.
Rodriguez was formerly Maduro’s vice president and took his place as the South American country’s leader with the consent of US President Donald Trump, provided that she toe Washington’s line.
The United States has taken over control of Venezuela’s oil sales, with Trump vowing a share for Washington in the profits.
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