US Vice President Mike Pence said on Friday the South China Sea does not belong to any one nation and the United States will continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows, comments sure to rile China which claims the strategic sea route.

Pence spoke after his meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who greeted him with a welcome ceremony and had an orchid named after him and his wife Karen.

The United States has conducted a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises in the contested South China Sea, angering Beijing, which says the moves threaten its sovereignty.

China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan, all have claims in the South China Sea, through which some $3 trillion of ship-borne trade passes each year.

Pence on Thursday told leaders of Southeast Asian nations on there was no place for "empire and aggression" in the Indo-Pacific region, a comment that could be interpreted as a reference to China's rise.

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Friday the South China Sea does not belong to any one nation and the United States will continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows, comments sure to rile China which claims the strategic sea route.

US Vice President Mike Pence said on Friday the South China Sea does not belong to any one nation and the United States will continue to sail and fly wherever international law allows, comments sure to rile China which claims the strategic sea route. Pence spoke after his meeting with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong who greeted him with a welcome ceremony and had an orchid named after him and his wife Karen. The United States has conducted a series of "freedom of navigation" exercises in the contested South China Sea, angering Beijing, which says the moves threaten its sovereignty. China, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan, all have claims in the South China Sea, through which some $3 trillion of ship-borne trade passes each year. Pence on Thursday told leaders of Southeast Asian nations on there was no place for "empire and aggression" in the Indo-Pacific region, a comment that could be interpreted as a reference to China's rise.

Watch: South China Sea doesn’t belong to any one nation, says Pence

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un landed in Singapore on Sunday ahead of a summit with US&nbsp;President Donald Trump that could end a nuclear stand-off between the old foes and transform the secretive, impoverished Asian country.

When Trump and Kim meet on the resort island of Sentosa on Tuesday they will be making history even before they start.

Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, the leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously - or even spoken on the phone.

Kim arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state wearing his trademark dark Maoist suit and distinctive high cut hairstyle.

He was greeted by Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, who posted a picture on Twitter of him shaking hands with Kim and the message: "Welcomed Chairman Kim Jong Un, who has just arrived in Singapore."

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a>: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un meets the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong ahead of meeting with US President Donald Trump on June 12. (Source: Reuters) <a href="https://t.co/rUuHCXmFRT">pic.twitter.com/rUuHCXmFRT</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1005767512103895040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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A convoy of vehicles that included a stretch Mercedes Benz limousine, identical to vehicles the North's leader had previously used, came into central Singapore under heavy security.

The US&nbsp;delegation, en route from the G7 meeting in Canada, will arrive Sunday evening, and Trump is set to meet with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday.

Trump is scheduled to arrive at Singapore's Paya Lebar Airbase at 8:35 pm&nbsp;on Sunday and go to the Shangri-La Hotel, according to the White House.

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I am on my way to Singapore where we have a chance to achieve a truly wonderful result for North Korea and the World. It will certainly be an exciting day and I know that Kim Jong-un will work very hard to do something that has rarely been done before...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1005554687678922752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Officials onboard Air Force One include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders.

High stakes diplomacy for Kim and Trump

At stake at the summit are North Korea's nuclear weapons and peace on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea spent decades developing nuclear weapons, culminating in the test of a thermonuclear device in 2017. It also successfully tested missiles that had enough range to reach the US&nbsp;mainland.

The tests came amid a campaign of "maximum pressure," led by the United States, that tightened economic sanctions against North Korea and raised the possibility of military action.

In a New Year's address, Kim said his country had completed development of its nuclear programme and would focus on economic development, suggesting a meeting with South Korea.

After a flurry of contacts between the two Koreas, South Korean officials suggested to Trump in March that Kim would be willing to meet face-to-face.

The summit comes after weeks of sometimes-contentious discussions and was briefly cancelled amid North Korean outrage over messaging from some US advisers.

Many remain sceptical Kim will ever completely abandon his nuclear programmes. They believe his latest engagement is aimed at getting the United States to ease crippling economic sanctions that have squeezed the impoverished country.

For Trump, a successful summit will see him achieve badly needed recognition on the international stage ahead of congressional elections in November.

Believed to be 34, Kim is one of the youngest heads of state in the world and looks an unlikely candidate to be making history of the kind that has eluded his father and grandfather, both past leaders of North Korea.

But since taking power in 2011 after his father's death, the youthful Kim has displayed a mixture of ruthlessness, pragmatism and statecraft to get this prize: to sit across the table with the leader of the United States and be treated as an equal.

The two countries were on the brink of war last year, with their leaders trading insults and threats, until Kim made a dramatic offer in March to meet Trump and discuss nuclear disarmament, which the American president quickly accepted.

Kim's journey from international pariah to being regarded as a responsible head of state has taken just a few months.

The two leaders meet at 9 am&nbsp;(0100 GMT) on Tuesday at the Capella on Sentosa island, a refurbished British Army artillery mess that is now one of Singapore's most expensive luxury hotels.

Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, a United States President and a North Korean leader have never met previously — or even spoken on the phone

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un landed in Singapore on Sunday ahead of a summit with US President Donald Trump that could end a nuclear stand-off between the old foes and transform the secretive, impoverished Asian country. When Trump and Kim meet on the resort island of Sentosa on Tuesday they will be making history even before they start. Enemies since the 1950-53 Korean War, the leaders of North Korea and the United States have never met previously - or even spoken on the phone. Kim arrived at Singapore's Changi Airport after his longest trip overseas as head of state wearing his trademark dark Maoist suit and distinctive high cut hairstyle. He was greeted by Singapore's foreign minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, who posted a picture on Twitter of him shaking hands with Kim and the message: "Welcomed Chairman Kim Jong Un, who has just arrived in Singapore." #WATCH: North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un meets the Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Hsien Loong ahead of meeting with US President Donald Trump on June 12. (Source: Reuters) pic.twitter.com/rUuHCXmFRT — ANI (@ANI) June 10, 2018 × A convoy of vehicles that included a stretch Mercedes Benz limousine, identical to vehicles the North's leader had previously used, came into central Singapore under heavy security. The US delegation, en route from the G7 meeting in Canada, will arrive Sunday evening, and Trump is set to meet with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Monday. Trump is scheduled to arrive at Singapore's Paya Lebar Airbase at 8:35 pm on Sunday and go to the Shangri-La Hotel, according to the White House. I am on my way to Singapore where we have a chance to achieve a truly wonderful result for North Korea and the World. It will certainly be an exciting day and I know that Kim Jong-un will work very hard to do something that has rarely been done before... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 9, 2018 × Officials onboard Air Force One include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Adviser John Bolton, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly and White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders. High stakes diplomacy for Kim and Trump At stake at the summit are North Korea's nuclear weapons and peace on the Korean Peninsula. North Korea spent decades developing nuclear weapons, culminating in the test of a thermonuclear device in 2017. It also successfully tested missiles that had enough range to reach the US mainland. The tests came amid a campaign of "maximum pressure," led by the United States, that tightened economic sanctions against North Korea and raised the possibility of military action. In a New Year's address, Kim said his country had completed development of its nuclear programme and would focus on economic development, suggesting a meeting with South Korea. After a flurry of contacts between the two Koreas, South Korean officials suggested to Trump in March that Kim would be willing to meet face-to-face. The summit comes after weeks of sometimes-contentious discussions and was briefly cancelled amid North Korean outrage over messaging from some US advisers. Many remain sceptical Kim will ever completely abandon his nuclear programmes. They believe his latest engagement is aimed at getting the United States to ease crippling economic sanctions that have squeezed the impoverished country. For Trump, a successful summit will see him achieve badly needed recognition on the international stage ahead of congressional elections in November. Believed to be 34, Kim is one of the youngest heads of state in the world and looks an unlikely candidate to be making history of the kind that has eluded his father and grandfather, both past leaders of North Korea. But since taking power in 2011 after his father's death, the youthful Kim has displayed a mixture of ruthlessness, pragmatism and statecraft to get this prize: to sit across the table with the leader of the United States and be treated as an equal. The two countries were on the brink of war last year, with their leaders trading insults and threats, until Kim made a dramatic offer in March to meet Trump and discuss nuclear disarmament, which the American president quickly accepted. Kim's journey from international pariah to being regarded as a responsible head of state has taken just a few months. The two leaders meet at 9 am (0100 GMT) on Tuesday at the Capella on Sentosa island, a refurbished British Army artillery mess that is now one of Singapore's most expensive luxury hotels.

North Korea's Kim lands in Singapore, on cusp of making history with Trump summit

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday a mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations.

Lee flagged his concerns in remarks made as he opened a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for many of which the United States and China are the top two trading partners.

"In particular, the recent trade tensions between the U.S. and China are worrying concerns," Lee said as ASEAN members gather for the organisation's 32nd summit.

The U.S. Trump administration has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports, and Beijing has vowed retaliation against American exports.

On Saturday Lee said the open and rules-based multilateral trading system, which has backed the growth of ASEAN member states, has come under pressure as the political mood in many countries has shifted against free trade.

Also on the agenda at the summit were the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, and security tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but it was unclear how much substantive progress could be accomplished.

The situation in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims have fled for neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown, is one of the biggest challenges facing the group.

ASEAN, formed more than half a century ago, has struggled with challenges facing the region because it works by consensus and is reluctant to get involved in matters considered internal to its members.

Singapore is this year's chair of the bloc, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam.

Lee said ASEAN members individually will find it difficult to make an impact on regional and global challenges, and called on its leaders to boost integration and cooperation to make a mark and to be effective.

The group is working on initiatives to jointly tackle the threat of extremism and cyber attacks, as well as to promote trade and cross-border e-payment systems.

ASEAN is also working to devise a model extradition treaty and negotiating a code of conduct with China to ease tensions in the disputed South China Sea, one of the world's most volatile hotspots and one of its busiest waterways.

A mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday a mounting trade spat between the United States and China was one of the most pressing concerns for Southeast Asian nations. Lee flagged his concerns in remarks made as he opened a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), for many of which the United States and China are the top two trading partners. "In particular, the recent trade tensions between the U.S. and China are worrying concerns," Lee said as ASEAN members gather for the organisation's 32nd summit. The U.S. Trump administration has threatened to impose tariffs on up to $150 billion of Chinese imports, and Beijing has vowed retaliation against American exports. On Saturday Lee said the open and rules-based multilateral trading system, which has backed the growth of ASEAN member states, has come under pressure as the political mood in many countries has shifted against free trade. Also on the agenda at the summit were the humanitarian crisis in Myanmar, and security tensions in the disputed South China Sea, but it was unclear how much substantive progress could be accomplished. The situation in Myanmar's western state of Rakhine, where hundreds of thousands of minority Rohingya Muslims have fled for neighbouring Bangladesh after a military crackdown, is one of the biggest challenges facing the group. ASEAN, formed more than half a century ago, has struggled with challenges facing the region because it works by consensus and is reluctant to get involved in matters considered internal to its members. Singapore is this year's chair of the bloc, which includes Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. Lee said ASEAN members individually will find it difficult to make an impact on regional and global challenges, and called on its leaders to boost integration and cooperation to make a mark and to be effective. The group is working on initiatives to jointly tackle the threat of extremism and cyber attacks, as well as to promote trade and cross-border e-payment systems. ASEAN is also working to devise a model extradition treaty and negotiating a code of conduct with China to ease tensions in the disputed South China Sea, one of the world's most volatile hotspots and one of its busiest waterways.

US, China trade tensions a pressing concern for Southeast Asia: Singapore PM

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Watch: South China Sea doesn’t belong to any one nation, says Pence

North Korea's Kim lands in Singapore, on cusp of making history with Trump summit

US, China trade tensions a pressing concern for Southeast Asia: Singapore PM