Manila, May 19 (CNA) The South China Sea conflict should be resolved peacefully and a discussion on joint development and exploration in the region should include Taiwan, the island's representative to the Philippines Gary Lin said Friday.
Speaking to over a dozen journalists from the Philippine press, including ABS-CBN and GMA, Lin said Taiwan has always advocated that the South China Sea dispute should be solved peacefully, and that discussions or negotiations on the issue should not be conducted without Taiwan.
Lin added that the issue should be dealt with through multilateral discussions, based on the principles of shelving differences and seeking joint development of resources.
On Thursday, China and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to draft a framework for a code of conduct on the disputed region at a meeting in the southwestern Chinese city of Guiyan.
Commenting on the "Code of Conduct" for the disputed South China Sea, Lin said Taiwan should not have been left out and the country should be a part of the negotiating table.
Reiterating Taiwan's sovereignty over the South China Sea islands, Lin repeated that the negotiations on the disputed region will not be complete without Taiwan's presence.
"As a member in the South China Sea, Taiwan should be included in the multilateral mechanism that seeks to address disputes in the region," he said.
At the same time, China can never represent Taiwan at the negotiations with regard to the South China Sea, he added.
Lin again appealed to all claimants of disputed islands in the South China Sea that Taiwan is willing to engage in dialogue with other countries on an equal footing, to jointly promote peace and stability in the region.
