Huangyan Island has been part of China's territory since antiquity without dispute. And China's action in maintaining its territory is appropriate and necessary, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said at the opening of the 7th East Asia Summit (Nov 20), Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

China has both continental and oceanic territories, and must pay peculiar attention to the peace and stability of the South China Sea as well as the freedom and safety of its navigation, Wen said at the summit.

"We hope international navigation of the South China Sea can be fully utilized in line with the recovery of the world economy," he said.

He emphasized China's continues policies on good-neighbor relations to sustain the peace and stability of the South China Sea.

Neither China nor the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will agree to internationalize the territorial issues of the South China Sea.

China and ASEAN signed the "the Declaration on the Conduct of Parities in the South China Sea" 10 years ago to reach consensus on a series of principles in maintaining regional stability and harmony in the South China Sea.