China will not waver in its resolve to uphold sovereignty: Li

Amid China's deepening maritime and territorial disputes, Premier Li Keqiang today said that his country will not waver in its resolve to uphold sovereignty and territorial integrity while striving to uphold regional peace and stability.
"Let me say that China all along believes in pursuing harmonious coexistence with its neighbours and we always believe in having a stable neighbourhood environment," Li said in his annual press conference here answering a question on the disputed South China Sea and other territorial disputes.
"It is up the efforts regional countries to maintain regional stability and harmony in the neighbourhood. It is also natural that some differences may arise between neighbours but as long as we all treat each other with sincerity and seek peaceful settlements to resolve difference with diplomatic means,regional stability will be maintained," he said.

Li, 60, addressed the customary annual press conference at the end of froth night long Parliament session.
He said while China needs a stable neighbourhood and peaceful international environment for its domestic development, it will also assert territorial rights.
"China will remain committed for the path of peaceful development and will not waver in its resolve in upholding sovereignty and territorial integrity. These two are not in conflict," he said.

"We hope that all the countries from within the region and outside will work together to uphold the regional stability not the opposite way," he said.
Besides the escalating South China Sea dispute where China is locked in confrontation with the US, Beijing also has tense ties with Japan as it proactively asserted its rights over Diaoyu/Senkaku islands.

India did not figure in the over two-hour-long press meet of Li in which he answered questions about China's tenuous ties with the US, Japan and growing relations Russia.