South China Sea Row Tops ASEAN Summit Agenda

VIENTIANE, Laos – President Barack Obama put the long-simmering dispute in the South China Sea front and center on the agenda at a regional summit Thursday as it became clear that most of the other leaders gathered in the Laotian capital were going to let China off with a mild rebuke over its territorial expansion in the resource-rich waters.

US President Barack Obama warned Beijing Thursday it could not ignore a tribunal’s ruling rejecting its sweeping claims to the South China Sea, driving tensions higher in a territorial row that threatens regional security.

During the meeting, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said the objective of the ASEAN negotiations is to manage points of difference and resolve discrepancies.

But diplomatic observers cautioned against such upbeat assessments and pointed out that China has actually been subject to mounting pressure in Laos from the United States and Japan, who both insisted repeatedly over the past few days that the ruling at the International Court of Arbitration in The Hague must be binding.

In a summit meeting between China and ASEAN countries that was held ahead of the EAS meeting, it was confirmed that a framework for agreeing on a code of conduct in the South China Sea would be reached by the middle of next year.

State media, including Global Times, a tabloid controlled by the official People’s Daily, on Friday described it as a diplomatic win for China while a senior diplomat declared that “the page had been turned over” regarding the July 12 ruling by an worldwide tribunal in The Hague that rebuked China’s historic claims in the South China Sea.

China’s embassy in Manila said in a statement on Wednesday that there had been no dredging or building at the shoal.

Leaders from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States also attended the summit.

“Countries in the region are the biggest beneficiaries of peace in the South China Sea”.

Obama assured ASEAN leaders that the United States would continue to help ensure the peaceful resolution of their territorial disputes.

The use of the phrase “some leaders” in the two statements underscores the fundamental problem ASEAN has in dealing with China – not all its members are willing to scold Beijing. Ties turned frosty when new President Rodrigo Duterte insulted USA counterpart Barack Obama on Monday, prompting the cancellation of a meeting between them.

Analysts noted that Asean nations had extensive discussions on the maritime disputes during the summit and issued a veiled criticism of China in a joint statement on Wednesday.

Some countries outside the region, displaying a Cold War mentality, have attempted to meddle in issues in the region, breaking the original regional balance and sowing discord between China and ASEAN members in recent years.

The Chinese government also lauded the steps taken this week at the ASEAN meetings in Laos to address issues in the South China Sea.

Countries in Southeast Asia have realized that the key to solving the South China Sea issue should be in their own hands and they should return to seeking complete and effective implementation of the DOC and solving the issue through dialogue and consultation. “We are confident that the relations between us will be improved with the joint efforts of the two countries”, he said.