China claims win; PH lets go of bid to cite sea ruling
It was important to avoid militarization of the region, and for freedom of navigation to be maintained, Asean said.
Beijing says the court ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce.
Cambodia’s position was the right one and would safeguard unity of Asean and cooperation with China, China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Cambodia’s Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon, according to a statement posted on China’s foreign ministry website early on Monday.
“China greatly approves of Cambodia and other Asean countries taking charge of impartiality and safeguarding fairness,” Wang said.
In a joint statement after the meeting, China and Asean said they had agreed to exercise self-restraint in activities that would complicate or escalate disputes in the South China Sea.
The agreement includes refraining from “action of inhabiting” currently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays and other features in the sea.
The Asean ministers also agreed to establish a hotline to manage maritime emergencies that would be guided by a proposed code for unplanned encounters in the South China Sea.
The code is expected to be adopted during the Asean-China Commemorative Summit next month.
China frequently blames the United States for raising tensions in the region and has warned regional rival Japan to steer clear of the dispute.
YASAY ANDWANG Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi shakes hands with Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay in Vientiane. AFP
“We will not permit any outside force to seek to exploit and hype up the so-called South China Sea arbitration case and bring chaos to this region,” Wang said.
Major powers arrive
The United States, allied with the Philippines and cultivating closer relations with Vietnam, has called on China to respect the court’s ruling.
It has criticized China’s building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to the disputed territory to assert freedom of navigation rights.
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Laos’ capital on Monday. He is expected to discuss maritime issues in a meeting with Wang, as well as in meetings with Asean members.
Both are in town for the Asean regional forum and East Asia summits, which bring Asean diplomats together with the United States, China, Japan, Russia and several other countries.
Kerry will urge Asean nations to explore diplomatic ways to ease tensions over Asia’s biggest potential military flashpoint, a senior US official said ahead of his trip. Reports from AP and Estrella Torres
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