China Daily Global Edition (USA)
S China Sea video plays in Times Square
A three-minute video promoting China’s historical role and standing in the South China Sea is playing in Times Square.
The video, displayed high above 2 Times Square, showcases the beauty of South China Sea and the Nanhai Zhudao.
The video also details the history of the region and stresses that China is the first to have discovered, named, explored and exploited the islands and relevant waters.
“Whether in terms of historical or legal perspective, China is the only true owner of the Nansha Islands,” Wu Shicun, president of the National Institute of South China Sea Studies, says in the video.
Besides Wu, the film also features other Chinese and foreign experts, including John Ross, former policy director of Economic and Business Policy of London, and Catherine West, shadow secretary of state and foreign affairs of the British Labor Party.
The video describes China’s indisputable sovereignty over Nanhai Zhudao (the South China Sea islands), saying it has historical and legal bases and disputes the unilaterally initiated arbitration by the Philippines.
“Most of my US classmates and professors agree that the arbitral tribunal (at The Hague) does not have jurisdiction over this case,” said Du Ziwei, a law student from China who is taking summer classes at Columbia University in New York. “As we are all law students, the South China Sea disputes have been a heated topic among us. And I’m very moved to see this video, which shows our country’s effort on introducing and explaining to the world its position on this issue,” Du said.
The video supports China’s dual-track approach, which argues that relevant disputes should be solved through friendly consultations and negotiations between the states directly concerned; and peace and stability in the South China Sea should be jointly maintained by China and ASEAN countries.
“I feel educated about the issue after seeing the clip, especially about China’s standpoint,” said Patrick Joyce, a Boston photographer visiting New York. “It’s a good decision for the country to try resolving the dispute peacefully, and I appreciate the US’ decision to remain impartial on this issue.”
US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday that the US would not take a position on the July 12 arbitral ruling in the Philippines’ favor in his meeting with Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting.