Naval symposium closes Chinese official says no compromise on sovereignty or security

(23 Apr 2014) The vice-chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission said on Wednesday that no country should expect China "to swallow the bitter pill of its sovereign rights, national security and development interests being compromised". Fan Changlong's remarks came at a meeting of top naval officials in the Chinese port city of Qingdao, where two dozen Asia-Pacific nations adopted an agreement aimed at reducing the possibility of conflict between an increasingly assertive China and its neighbours. The agreement, entitled The Code for Unplanned Encounter at Sea, is also aimed at improving communications at sea. Although not legally binding, China's adoption of the code indicates its increased willingness to engage with its neighbours, US Navy officials said. Tensions have risen in the region over competing territorial claims, especially over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that are controlled by Japan but claimed by China. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...