China Will Solve Maritime Disputes Through Direct Talks

China will be firm in upholding its territorial integrity and believes disputes in the region should be settled through direct talks with the countries concerned, the nation’s top foreign policy official said.

“We will never trade our core interests or swallow the bitter fruits that undermine our sovereignty, security and development interests,” Yang Jiechi said in a speech at the World Peace Forum in Beijing yesterday. Yang, a state councilor and former foreign minister, held talks last week in Vietnam to defuse tensions over a Chinese oil rig in waters claimed by both countries.