Peace, cooperation, friendship should be new narrative of South China Sea: Chinese FM

BEIJING, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Peace, cooperation and friendship should be the new narrative of the South China Sea, while making waves wins no hearts and fomenting trouble finds no takers, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Sunday.

The South China Sea is home to the world's busiest, safest and freest shipping lanes. Over the past year, cooperation in the South China Sea has kept a sound momentum, Wang said at a press conference on the sidelines of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress.

"As we continue with the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, consultation on a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea has reached crunch time," Wang said, noting that all relevant parties look forward to wrapping it up this year.

"We also hope that as this year's ASEAN Chair, the Philippines will recognize and fulfill its responsibility, resist the pull of self-interest, and play a positive role for peace and stability in the region," he added.