Vietnam has warned that the inability of Southeast Asian nations to forge a unified front against Beijing&#39;s militarisation of the South China Sea is a &quot;test&quot; of the regional bloc in the face of its greatest security challenge. 
 
The unusually strong comments from a key claimant to the contested waters, comes as diplomats meet in Laos for the first summit since a UN-backed tribunal debunked Beijing&#39;s legal claim to vast stretches of the strategically vital sea. 
 
After talks stuttered on Sunday, Vietnam&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a late night statement warning that the South China Sea had become &quot;a test case for the unity and the central role of ASEAN&quot;. 
 
&quot;Many ministers stressed that in this context, ASEAN should promote solidarity, unity and a central role,&quot; the statement added. 
 
Diplomats met for a new round of crunch talks, called for by Laos today morning.&nbsp;As they came to a close, Indonesia&#39;s foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, expressed optimism that a statement would be agreed to, though diplomats previously told AFP it would likely be &quot;watered down&quot;. 
 
Staunch Beijing ally Cambodia has been accused of scuppering efforts by the bloc to issue a joint statement calling on Beijing to adhere to the UN tribunal&#39;s decision.&nbsp;Four ASEAN members - Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the South China Sea.&nbsp; 
 
Most members of the bloc want to keep pressure on China over its campaign of island building in the strategic waters.&nbsp;But ASEAN operates on a tradition of consensus diplomacy, meaning a single nation can have an effective veto power if it disagrees with the others. 
 
China has been accused of teasing poorer members like Laos and Cambodia into fracturing regional unity with promises of aid and trade.&nbsp;Critics have long derided ASEAN for lacking real diplomatic clout. 
 
A failure to respond to the tribunal ruling or the region&#39;s key security issue will do little to counter those claims.&nbsp;The ongoing impasse in Vientiane has led to fears of a repeat of a 2012 summit in Cambodia, where the bloc failed to issue a joint communique for the first time in its history because of disagreements over the South China Sea. 
 
Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of discord by the bloc, when countries swiftly disowned a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting.&nbsp;That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing&#39;s activities in the South China Sea. Cambodia and Laos were later fingered as being behind moves to block the joint statement. 
 
(AFP)

Four ASEAN members - Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the South China Sea

Vietnam has warned that the inability of Southeast Asian nations to forge a unified front against Beijing's militarisation of the South China Sea is a "test" of the regional bloc in the face of its greatest security challenge. The unusually strong comments from a key claimant to the contested waters, comes as diplomats meet in Laos for the first summit since a UN-backed tribunal debunked Beijing's legal claim to vast stretches of the strategically vital sea. After talks stuttered on Sunday, Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a late night statement warning that the South China Sea had become "a test case for the unity and the central role of ASEAN". "Many ministers stressed that in this context, ASEAN should promote solidarity, unity and a central role," the statement added. Diplomats met for a new round of crunch talks, called for by Laos today morning. As they came to a close, Indonesia's foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, expressed optimism that a statement would be agreed to, though diplomats previously told AFP it would likely be "watered down". Staunch Beijing ally Cambodia has been accused of scuppering efforts by the bloc to issue a joint statement calling on Beijing to adhere to the UN tribunal's decision. Four ASEAN members - Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the South China Sea. Most members of the bloc want to keep pressure on China over its campaign of island building in the strategic waters. But ASEAN operates on a tradition of consensus diplomacy, meaning a single nation can have an effective veto power if it disagrees with the others. China has been accused of teasing poorer members like Laos and Cambodia into fracturing regional unity with promises of aid and trade. Critics have long derided ASEAN for lacking real diplomatic clout. A failure to respond to the tribunal ruling or the region's key security issue will do little to counter those claims. The ongoing impasse in Vientiane has led to fears of a repeat of a 2012 summit in Cambodia, where the bloc failed to issue a joint communique for the first time in its history because of disagreements over the South China Sea. Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of discord by the bloc, when countries swiftly disowned a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting. That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing's activities in the South China Sea. Cambodia and Laos were later fingered as being behind moves to block the joint statement. (AFP)

Vietnam warns South China Sea is a 'test' of ASEAN

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with Burmese State Counselor and foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of the ongoing 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) and Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) in Vientiane, Laos on Sunday, both promising to strengthen ties and cooperation. 
 
Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping&rsquo;s greetings to Suu Kyi. 
 
He said that China and Myanmar have a deep friendship and maintain understanding, respect, and support for one another. 
 
Wang congratulated Suu Kyi&rsquo;s new government for keeping an upbeat situation in its first 100 days and wished Myanmar further progress in its development. 
 
Wang expressed China&rsquo;s goodwill to become a trusted partner of Myanmar in its development progress, saying that China is willing to increase high-level communication and push forward practical cooperation in all fields. 
 
Suu Kyi said that China is Myanmar&rsquo;s largest friendly neighbour, and the people from two countries share strong links with each other, adding that Myanmar appreciates China&rsquo;s support and aid in its economic development as well as national reconciliation. 
 
Suu Kyi said she hopes China will continue to give Myanmar support as a good friend of the country. Myanmar is willing to work with China to continue to strengthen their relationship and pass down the traditional friendship between the two nations to later generations, she added. 
 
&#39;Media focus on South China Sea very strange&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Wang during bilateral meetings with ASEAN members on Sunday said he thought the media focus on the South China Sea issue was &quot;very strange&quot;. 
 
&quot;You should focus on China-ASEAN cooperation,&quot; he said. 
 
Southeast Asian nations failed to agree on maritime disputes in the South China Sea on Sunday after Cambodia blocked any mention to an international court ruling against Beijing in their statement, diplomats said. 
 
Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met for the first time since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the dispute this month. 
 
The ruling by the court in The Hague denied China&#39;s sweeping claims in the strategic seaway, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. 
 
China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. 
 
(Reuters)

Foreign ministers of 10-member ASEAN met for first time since the Hague ruling on maritime disputes in the South China Sea

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with Burmese State Counselor and foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of the ongoing 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) and Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) in Vientiane, Laos on Sunday, both promising to strengthen ties and cooperation. Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings to Suu Kyi. He said that China and Myanmar have a deep friendship and maintain understanding, respect, and support for one another. Wang congratulated Suu Kyi’s new government for keeping an upbeat situation in its first 100 days and wished Myanmar further progress in its development. Wang expressed China’s goodwill to become a trusted partner of Myanmar in its development progress, saying that China is willing to increase high-level communication and push forward practical cooperation in all fields. Suu Kyi said that China is Myanmar’s largest friendly neighbour, and the people from two countries share strong links with each other, adding that Myanmar appreciates China’s support and aid in its economic development as well as national reconciliation. Suu Kyi said she hopes China will continue to give Myanmar support as a good friend of the country. Myanmar is willing to work with China to continue to strengthen their relationship and pass down the traditional friendship between the two nations to later generations, she added. 'Media focus on South China Sea very strange' Wang during bilateral meetings with ASEAN members on Sunday said he thought the media focus on the South China Sea issue was "very strange". "You should focus on China-ASEAN cooperation," he said. Southeast Asian nations failed to agree on maritime disputes in the South China Sea on Sunday after Cambodia blocked any mention to an international court ruling against Beijing in their statement, diplomats said. Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met for the first time since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the dispute this month. The ruling by the court in The Hague denied China's sweeping claims in the strategic seaway, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. (Reuters)

China promises to strengthen ties with Myanmar

US and Australian troops plan to step up training so they are &quot;fully prepared&quot; to answer challenges in the Pacific, US Vice President Joe Biden said today amid rising tensions over Beijing&#39;s claims in the South China Sea.&nbsp; 
 
Speaking in Sydney after meeting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Biden said the two nations were a &quot;genuine brotherhood&quot; committed to &quot;making sure the sea lanes are open and the skies are free for navigation&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;They are the life bloodlines of commerce and the economic growth worldwide,&quot; Biden said in the wake of last weeks ruling by a UN-backed tribunal against Beijings claims in the disputed waters. 
 
Beijing asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours -- most notably US ally the Philippines, which took the case to the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration.&nbsp; 
 
The United States, like Australia, has no claims of its own in the South China Sea, but insists that all shipping has a right to pass through seas it regards as international waters.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;We also discussed the steps that Australia and the United States are taking so our troops can train more together and increase our interoperability so that we are fully prepared to respond to any challenges, any challenges, in the Pacific with a united front,&quot; Biden said. 
 
&quot;It is important we stand together,&quot; he added, as he stressed that the United States was a Pacific power and intended to remain so. 
 
Turnbull used a short media briefing alongside Biden to announce that Australia was expanding its role in Iraq to include the training of law enforcement officers and police as well as its current training of the Iraqi army. 
 
Australia has been a staunch ally of the United States in Iraq and in the fight against the Islamic State group. 
 
Biden&#39;s visit, which comes as President Barack Obama enters the final months of his administration, ends on Wednesday when he travels to New Zealand. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Australia has been a staunch ally of the United States in Iraq and in the fight against the Islamic State group?

US and Australian troops plan to step up training so they are "fully prepared" to answer challenges in the Pacific, US Vice President Joe Biden said today amid rising tensions over Beijing's claims in the South China Sea. Speaking in Sydney after meeting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Biden said the two nations were a "genuine brotherhood" committed to "making sure the sea lanes are open and the skies are free for navigation". "They are the life bloodlines of commerce and the economic growth worldwide," Biden said in the wake of last weeks ruling by a UN-backed tribunal against Beijings claims in the disputed waters. Beijing asserts sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours -- most notably US ally the Philippines, which took the case to the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration. The United States, like Australia, has no claims of its own in the South China Sea, but insists that all shipping has a right to pass through seas it regards as international waters. "We also discussed the steps that Australia and the United States are taking so our troops can train more together and increase our interoperability so that we are fully prepared to respond to any challenges, any challenges, in the Pacific with a united front," Biden said. "It is important we stand together," he added, as he stressed that the United States was a Pacific power and intended to remain so. Turnbull used a short media briefing alongside Biden to announce that Australia was expanding its role in Iraq to include the training of law enforcement officers and police as well as its current training of the Iraqi army. Australia has been a staunch ally of the United States in Iraq and in the fight against the Islamic State group. Biden's visit, which comes as President Barack Obama enters the final months of his administration, ends on Wednesday when he travels to New Zealand. (AFP)

South China Sea dispute: US, Australia a 'united front' in Pacific, says Biden?

Cambodia&#39;s prime minister announced today that China will give his government nearly USD 600 million in aid to support the country&#39;s election infrastructure, education and health. 
 
Prime Minister Hun Sen said in a statement that the aid was finalized after he met with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang at an Asia-Europe meeting in Mongolia. 
 
&quot;At my request, our Chinese friends have agreed to provide fund for supporting the election process, health care, education and clean water,&quot; Hun Sen said. 
 
China is a key ally and economic partner of impoverished Cambodia. It has provided millions of dollars in aid and investment over the past decade, granted it tariff-free status on hundreds of trade items and written off its debt. 
 
In return, Cambodia supports China in international forums, including in Beijing&#39;s ongoing dispute with other Southeast Asian countries in the South China sea. 
 
Last month, Cambodia deported 39 suspected criminals to China, including 25 Taiwanese, over whom Beijing insists it has jurisdiction despite protests from self-ruled Taipei. 
 
(PTI)

Prime Minister Hun Sen said in a statement that the aid was finalized after he met with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang at an Asia-Europe meeting in Mongolia

Cambodia's prime minister announced today that China will give his government nearly USD 600 million in aid to support the country's election infrastructure, education and health. Prime Minister Hun Sen said in a statement that the aid was finalized after he met with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang at an Asia-Europe meeting in Mongolia. "At my request, our Chinese friends have agreed to provide fund for supporting the election process, health care, education and clean water," Hun Sen said. China is a key ally and economic partner of impoverished Cambodia. It has provided millions of dollars in aid and investment over the past decade, granted it tariff-free status on hundreds of trade items and written off its debt. In return, Cambodia supports China in international forums, including in Beijing's ongoing dispute with other Southeast Asian countries in the South China sea. Last month, Cambodia deported 39 suspected criminals to China, including 25 Taiwanese, over whom Beijing insists it has jurisdiction despite protests from self-ruled Taipei. (PTI)

China gives USD 600 million aid to ally Cambodia

The Philippines urged Beijing today to respect an international tribunal&#39;s ruling that rejected Chinese claims to most of the South China Sea, escalating a row that has raised the prospect of conflict. 
 
China reacted furiously to the verdict by a UN-back tribunal on Tuesday, insisting it will ignore the decision while warning its rivals too much pressure on the issue could turn the resource-rich and strategically vital waterway into a &quot;cradle of war&quot;. 
 
Dispute to remain talking point during at ASEM&nbsp; 
 
The Philippines, which launched the legal challenge, had initially refrained from asking China to abide by the ruling. This followed President Rodrigo Duterte`s directive to achieve a &quot;soft landing&quot; with the Philippines&#39; much more powerful Asian neighbour. 
 
But Manila hardened its stance today with a statement detailing Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay&#39;s priorities when he attends an Asia-Europe summit, known as ASEM, in Mongolia this week along with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. 
 
&quot;Secretary Yasay will discuss within the context of ASEM&#39;s agenda the Philippines&#39; peaceful and rules-based approach on the South China Sea and the need for parties to respect the recent decision,&quot; the foreign affairs department said in a statement. 
 
Even just raising the issue at the two-day summit starting on Friday will anger China, which has long bridled at Philippine efforts to have the dispute discussed at multilateral events. 
 
Chinese assistant foreign minister Kong Xuanyou insisted on Monday the ASEM summit was &quot;not an appropriate venue&quot; to discuss the South China Sea. 
 
But China appears to be in the minority -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said today as he left for Mongolia that he wanted to discuss the South China Sea at the summit. 
 
China claims nearly all of the sea -- which is of immense military importance and through which about $5 trillion worth of shipping trade passes annually -- even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. 
 
US, China call on China to respect Hague ruling&nbsp; 
 
China justifies its claims by saying it was the first to have discovered, named and exploited the sea, and outlines its territory using a vague map made up of nine dashes that emerged in the 1940s. 
 
However the tribunal, in The Hague, ruled China&#39;s claimed historic rights to resources within the nine-dash map had no legal basis. 
 
It also declared that China had acted unlawfully by violating the Philippines` sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone -- waters extending 200 nautical miles from the Filipino coast. 
 
China had done so by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration within the exclusive zone, as well as by building artificial islands there. 
 
China has in recent years undertaken giant land reclamation works in the Spratlys archipelago, one of the biggest island groups in the sea which partly falls within the Philippines&#39; exclusive economic zone. 
 
The United States and Australia were among Philippine allies this week to call on China to respect the ruling.&nbsp; 
 
China mulling over introducing air defence zone over the sea&nbsp; 
 
But the Chinese government and state media instead unleashed a tirade of vitriol against the tribunal, and vowed never to give up its claims to the sea. 
 
&quot;Do not turn the South China Sea into a cradle of war,&quot; vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday in a warning to rivals. 
 
He also said China may introduce an air defence zone over the sea, which would give its military authority over foreign aircraft, depending on the &quot;threat&quot; level. 
 
The English-language China Daily said: &quot;Beijing certainly should, and has to, ready itself for worst-case scenarios, including potential military collisions&quot;. 
 
China and the United States had already deployed significant naval firepower in the sea ahead of the verdict.&nbsp; 
Taiwan, which has a very similar claim to the waters as China, sent a warship into the waters on Wednesday to protect its interests.&nbsp; 
 
The Philippines filed the legal challenge against China in 2013 under Duterte`s predecessor, Benigno Aquino. Relations between Beijing and Manila plummeted over the row. 
 
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has said he wants better relations with China and to attract Chinese investment for major infrastructure projects.&nbsp; 
 
Unlike Aquino, Duterte has said he wants to talk directly with China over the issue. Beijing also wants to negotiate, but at the same time insists it will never concede on sovereignty. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

Philippines' Foreign Secretary will discuss country's rules-based approach on South China Sea with Chinese Premier at ASEM this week

The Philippines urged Beijing today to respect an international tribunal's ruling that rejected Chinese claims to most of the South China Sea, escalating a row that has raised the prospect of conflict. China reacted furiously to the verdict by a UN-back tribunal on Tuesday, insisting it will ignore the decision while warning its rivals too much pressure on the issue could turn the resource-rich and strategically vital waterway into a "cradle of war". Dispute to remain talking point during at ASEM The Philippines, which launched the legal challenge, had initially refrained from asking China to abide by the ruling. This followed President Rodrigo Duterte`s directive to achieve a "soft landing" with the Philippines' much more powerful Asian neighbour. But Manila hardened its stance today with a statement detailing Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay's priorities when he attends an Asia-Europe summit, known as ASEM, in Mongolia this week along with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. "Secretary Yasay will discuss within the context of ASEM's agenda the Philippines' peaceful and rules-based approach on the South China Sea and the need for parties to respect the recent decision," the foreign affairs department said in a statement. Even just raising the issue at the two-day summit starting on Friday will anger China, which has long bridled at Philippine efforts to have the dispute discussed at multilateral events. Chinese assistant foreign minister Kong Xuanyou insisted on Monday the ASEM summit was "not an appropriate venue" to discuss the South China Sea. But China appears to be in the minority -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also said today as he left for Mongolia that he wanted to discuss the South China Sea at the summit. China claims nearly all of the sea -- which is of immense military importance and through which about $5 trillion worth of shipping trade passes annually -- even waters approaching the coasts of the Philippines and other Southeast Asian nations. US, China call on China to respect Hague ruling China justifies its claims by saying it was the first to have discovered, named and exploited the sea, and outlines its territory using a vague map made up of nine dashes that emerged in the 1940s. However the tribunal, in The Hague, ruled China's claimed historic rights to resources within the nine-dash map had no legal basis. It also declared that China had acted unlawfully by violating the Philippines` sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone -- waters extending 200 nautical miles from the Filipino coast. China had done so by interfering with Philippine fishing and petroleum exploration within the exclusive zone, as well as by building artificial islands there. China has in recent years undertaken giant land reclamation works in the Spratlys archipelago, one of the biggest island groups in the sea which partly falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. The United States and Australia were among Philippine allies this week to call on China to respect the ruling. China mulling over introducing air defence zone over the sea But the Chinese government and state media instead unleashed a tirade of vitriol against the tribunal, and vowed never to give up its claims to the sea. "Do not turn the South China Sea into a cradle of war," vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters in Beijing on Wednesday in a warning to rivals. He also said China may introduce an air defence zone over the sea, which would give its military authority over foreign aircraft, depending on the "threat" level. The English-language China Daily said: "Beijing certainly should, and has to, ready itself for worst-case scenarios, including potential military collisions". China and the United States had already deployed significant naval firepower in the sea ahead of the verdict. Taiwan, which has a very similar claim to the waters as China, sent a warship into the waters on Wednesday to protect its interests. The Philippines filed the legal challenge against China in 2013 under Duterte`s predecessor, Benigno Aquino. Relations between Beijing and Manila plummeted over the row. Duterte, who took office on June 30, has said he wants better relations with China and to attract Chinese investment for major infrastructure projects. Unlike Aquino, Duterte has said he wants to talk directly with China over the issue. Beijing also wants to negotiate, but at the same time insists it will never concede on sovereignty. (AFP)

Manila hardens stance, tells China to respect Hague ruling

The United States is using quiet diplomacy to persuade the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalise on an international court ruling that denied China&#39;s claims to the South China Sea, several US administration officials said on Wednesday. 
 
&quot;What we want is to quiet things down so these issues can be addressed rationally instead of emotionally,&quot; said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic messages. 
 
Some were sent through US embassies abroad and foreign missions in Washington, while others were conveyed directly to top officials by defense secretary Ash Carter, secretary of State John Kerry and other senior officials, the sources said. 
 
&quot;This is a blanket call for quiet, not some attempt to rally the region against China, which would play into a false narrative that the US is leading a coalition to contain China,&quot; the official added. 
 
The effort to calm the waters following the court ruling in The Hague on Tuesday suffered a setback when Taiwan dispatched a warship to the area, with President Tsai Ing-wen telling sailors that their mission was to defend Taiwan&#39;s maritime territory. 
 
The court ruled that while China has no historic rights to the area within its self-declared nine-dash line, Taiwan has no right to Itu Aba, also called Taiping, the largest island in the Spratlys. Taipei administers Itu Aba but the tribunal called it a &quot;rock&quot;, according to the legal definition. 
 
The US officials said they hoped the US diplomatic initiative would be more successful in Indonesia, which wants to send hundreds of fishermen to the Natuna Islands to assert its sovereignty over nearby areas of the South China Sea to which China says it also has claims&nbsp;and in the Philippines, whose fishermen have been harassed by Chinese coast guard and naval vessels. 
 
One official said new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte remains &quot;somewhat of an unknown quantity&quot; who has been alternately bellicose and accommodating toward China. 
 
Philippine defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that ahead of the ruling he had spoken to Carter, who he said told him China had assured the United States it would exercise restraint, and that the US government made the same assurance. 
 
Carter had sought and been given the same assurance from the Philippines, Lorenzana added. 
 
China, for its part, repeated pleas for talks between Beijing and Manila, with foreign minister Wang Yi saying that it is time to get things back on the &quot;right track&quot; after the &quot;farce&quot; of the case. 
 
On Thursday, the official newspaper of China&#39;s ruling Communist Party said China had shown it can fix territorial issues via talks, pointing to the&nbsp;agreement reached with Vietnam over their maritime boundary in the Gulf of Tonkin and ongoing talks with South Korea. 
 
&quot;China is a faithful defender of the principle that countries large and small are equal and has consistently upheld using consultations to resolve border issues on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect,&quot; the People&#39;s Daily said in a commentary. 
 
Meanwhile, two Chinese civilian aircraft landed on Wednesday at two new airports on reefs controlled by China in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, a move the State Department said would increase tensions rather than lower them. 
 
&quot;We don&#39;t have a dog in this fight other than our belief ... in freedom of navigation,&quot; State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing on Wednesday. &quot;What we want to see in this very tense part of Asia, of the Pacific, rather, is a de-escalation of tensions and we want to see all claimants take a moment to look at how we can find a peaceful way forward.&quot; 
 
However, if that effort fails, and competition escalates into confrontation,&nbsp;US air and naval forces are prepared to uphold freedom of maritime and air navigation in the disputed area, a defense official said on Wednesday. 
 
Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said confrontation is less likely if the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries work with the United States rather than on their own. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think China wants a confrontation with the United States,&quot; he told reporters. &quot;They don&rsquo;t mind a confrontation with a Vietnamese fishing boat, but they don&rsquo;t want a confrontation with the United States.&quot; 
 
The court ruling is expected to dominate a meeting at the end of July in Laos of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. 
 
US secretary of State John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, foreign minister Wang, will attend the ministerial. 
 
Sino-American relations suffered two fresh blows on Wednesday as a congressional committee found China&#39;s government likely hacked computers at the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the United States challenged China&#39;s export duties on nine metals and minerals that are important to the aerospace, auto, electronics and chemical industries. 
 
(Reuters)

'What we want is to quiet things down so these issues can be addressed rationally instead of emotionally,' said a US official

The United States is using quiet diplomacy to persuade the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other Asian nations not to move aggressively to capitalise on an international court ruling that denied China's claims to the South China Sea, several US administration officials said on Wednesday. "What we want is to quiet things down so these issues can be addressed rationally instead of emotionally," said one official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private diplomatic messages. Some were sent through US embassies abroad and foreign missions in Washington, while others were conveyed directly to top officials by defense secretary Ash Carter, secretary of State John Kerry and other senior officials, the sources said. "This is a blanket call for quiet, not some attempt to rally the region against China, which would play into a false narrative that the US is leading a coalition to contain China," the official added. The effort to calm the waters following the court ruling in The Hague on Tuesday suffered a setback when Taiwan dispatched a warship to the area, with President Tsai Ing-wen telling sailors that their mission was to defend Taiwan's maritime territory. The court ruled that while China has no historic rights to the area within its self-declared nine-dash line, Taiwan has no right to Itu Aba, also called Taiping, the largest island in the Spratlys. Taipei administers Itu Aba but the tribunal called it a "rock", according to the legal definition. The US officials said they hoped the US diplomatic initiative would be more successful in Indonesia, which wants to send hundreds of fishermen to the Natuna Islands to assert its sovereignty over nearby areas of the South China Sea to which China says it also has claims and in the Philippines, whose fishermen have been harassed by Chinese coast guard and naval vessels. One official said new Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte remains "somewhat of an unknown quantity" who has been alternately bellicose and accommodating toward China. Philippine defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana said that ahead of the ruling he had spoken to Carter, who he said told him China had assured the United States it would exercise restraint, and that the US government made the same assurance. Carter had sought and been given the same assurance from the Philippines, Lorenzana added. China, for its part, repeated pleas for talks between Beijing and Manila, with foreign minister Wang Yi saying that it is time to get things back on the "right track" after the "farce" of the case. On Thursday, the official newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party said China had shown it can fix territorial issues via talks, pointing to the agreement reached with Vietnam over their maritime boundary in the Gulf of Tonkin and ongoing talks with South Korea. "China is a faithful defender of the principle that countries large and small are equal and has consistently upheld using consultations to resolve border issues on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect," the People's Daily said in a commentary. Meanwhile, two Chinese civilian aircraft landed on Wednesday at two new airports on reefs controlled by China in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, a move the State Department said would increase tensions rather than lower them. "We don't have a dog in this fight other than our belief ... in freedom of navigation," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told a briefing on Wednesday. "What we want to see in this very tense part of Asia, of the Pacific, rather, is a de-escalation of tensions and we want to see all claimants take a moment to look at how we can find a peaceful way forward." However, if that effort fails, and competition escalates into confrontation, US air and naval forces are prepared to uphold freedom of maritime and air navigation in the disputed area, a defense official said on Wednesday. Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland, a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said confrontation is less likely if the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and other countries work with the United States rather than on their own. "I don't think China wants a confrontation with the United States," he told reporters. "They don’t mind a confrontation with a Vietnamese fishing boat, but they don’t want a confrontation with the United States." The court ruling is expected to dominate a meeting at the end of July in Laos of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which includes the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. US secretary of State John Kerry, and his Chinese counterpart, foreign minister Wang, will attend the ministerial. Sino-American relations suffered two fresh blows on Wednesday as a congressional committee found China's government likely hacked computers at the US Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the United States challenged China's export duties on nine metals and minerals that are important to the aerospace, auto, electronics and chemical industries. (Reuters)

US launches quiet diplomacy to ease South China Sea tensions

Beijing&#39;s ambassador to the United States made a blunt rebuke Tuesday of an international tribunal ruling that rendered its claims in the South China Sea invalid. 
 
China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbors, most notably the Philippines. 
 
The decision by the UN-backed tribunal in The Hague &quot;will certainly undermine or weaken the motivation of states to engage in negotiations and consultations for solving their dispute,&quot; Ambassador Cui Tiankai said. 
 
&quot;It will certainly intensify conflicts and even confrontation,&quot; he added, speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. 
 
&quot;In the end, it will undermine the authority and effectiveness of international law.&quot; 
 
The envoy also warned that the Permanent Court of Arbitration&#39;s ruling &quot;will probably open the door of abusing arbitration procedures.&quot; 
 
China&#39;s claims, which include waters approaching neighboring countries, are based on a vaguely defined &quot;nine-dash-line&quot; found on a 1940&#39;s Chinese map. 
 
The row has embroiled the United States, which has deployed aircraft carriers and a host of other vessels to assert freedom of navigation in the waters -- through which a third of the global oil trade passes. 
 
Criticising the American show of force in the region, Cui warned it could lead to conflict. 
 
&quot;Intensified military activities so close to Chinese islands and reefs or even entering the neighboring waters of these islands and reefs, these activities certainly have the risk of leading to some conflict,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;I am quite sure they will have the effect of destabilising regional stability,&quot; the ambassador added. 
 
&quot;If armed conflict started, everybody&#39;s interest would be hurt, including our interest and I am sure the interests of the USA.&quot; 
 
The envoy blamed Washington&#39;s pivot to Asia under President Barack Obama for increased tensions. 
 
&quot;Tensions started to rise five to six years ago, about the same time we began to hear from the so-called pivoting to Asia,&quot; Cui said. 
 
&quot;Disputes intensified, relations strained, confidence weakened.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

'In the end, it will undermine the authority and effectiveness of international law,' Ambassador Cui Tiankai said

Beijing's ambassador to the United States made a blunt rebuke Tuesday of an international tribunal ruling that rendered its claims in the South China Sea invalid. China asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital waters, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbors, most notably the Philippines. The decision by the UN-backed tribunal in The Hague "will certainly undermine or weaken the motivation of states to engage in negotiations and consultations for solving their dispute," Ambassador Cui Tiankai said. "It will certainly intensify conflicts and even confrontation," he added, speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "In the end, it will undermine the authority and effectiveness of international law." The envoy also warned that the Permanent Court of Arbitration's ruling "will probably open the door of abusing arbitration procedures." China's claims, which include waters approaching neighboring countries, are based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on a 1940's Chinese map. The row has embroiled the United States, which has deployed aircraft carriers and a host of other vessels to assert freedom of navigation in the waters -- through which a third of the global oil trade passes. Criticising the American show of force in the region, Cui warned it could lead to conflict. "Intensified military activities so close to Chinese islands and reefs or even entering the neighboring waters of these islands and reefs, these activities certainly have the risk of leading to some conflict," he said. "I am quite sure they will have the effect of destabilising regional stability," the ambassador added. "If armed conflict started, everybody's interest would be hurt, including our interest and I am sure the interests of the USA." The envoy blamed Washington's pivot to Asia under President Barack Obama for increased tensions. "Tensions started to rise five to six years ago, about the same time we began to hear from the so-called pivoting to Asia," Cui said. "Disputes intensified, relations strained, confidence weakened." (AFP)

South China Sea ruling will 'intensify conflict': Chinese envoy to US

A Taiwanese warship set sail for the South China Sea on Wednesday &quot;to defend Taiwan&#39;s maritime territory&quot;, a day after an international tribunal ruled China has no historic rights in the waterway and undermined Taipei&#39;s claims to islands there. 
 
President Tsai Ing-wen rallied troops on the deck of the frigate, saying Taiwanese were determined to &quot;defend their country&#39;s rights&quot;, before the warship headed for Taiwan-controlled Taiping island in the Spratly island chain from the southern city of Kaohsiung. 
 
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic rights to its claimed &quot;nine-dash line&quot; and that it had violated the Philippines&#39; sovereign rights in the exclusive economic zone. 
 
Crucially for Taipei, it ruled that Taiwan-administered Taiping, the largest island in the Spratlys chain, was legally a &quot;rock&quot; that did not give it an exclusive economic zone, undermining Taiwanese claims to waters surrounding the island. 
 
Taiwan&#39;s government said the ruling was &quot;completely unacceptable&quot; and had no legally binding force since the arbitral tribunal did not formally invite Taipei to participate in its proceedings or solicit its views. 
 
&quot;The South China Sea ruling, especially the categorisation of Taiping island, has severely jeopardised our country&#39;s rights in the South China Sea islands and their relevant waters,&quot; Tsai told soldiers on the deck of ship in footage broadcast by news channels. 
 
&quot;This patrol mission will show Taiwanese people&#39;s determination to defend their country&#39;s rights,&quot; she said, before disembarking from the warship ahead of its departure.&nbsp; 
 
The defence ministry vowed to &quot;firmly defend Taiwan&#39;s territory and sovereignty&quot; and said there would be no change to Taiwan&#39;s claims in the strategic seas because of the ruling. 
 
It brought the deployment of the warship forward by a day in reaction to the ruling. 
 
The ministry said in a statement it would continue to send aircraft and ships for patrol missions to the region and remain &quot;highly vigilant&quot; to protect national security.&nbsp; 
 
Tsai&#39;s predecessor Ma Ying-jeou visited Taiping in January to press Taiwan&#39;s claims and show that Taiping is an island, not a rock, in a move that triggered criticism from the United States as well as protests from Vietnam and the Philippines. 
 
The Spratlys are also claimed in part or whole by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.&nbsp; 
 
(AFP)

President Tsai Ing-wen rallied troops on the deck of the frigate, saying Taiwanese were determined to 'defend their country's rights'

A Taiwanese warship set sail for the South China Sea on Wednesday "to defend Taiwan's maritime territory", a day after an international tribunal ruled China has no historic rights in the waterway and undermined Taipei's claims to islands there. President Tsai Ing-wen rallied troops on the deck of the frigate, saying Taiwanese were determined to "defend their country's rights", before the warship headed for Taiwan-controlled Taiping island in the Spratly island chain from the southern city of Kaohsiung. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled on Tuesday that China has no historic rights to its claimed "nine-dash line" and that it had violated the Philippines' sovereign rights in the exclusive economic zone. Crucially for Taipei, it ruled that Taiwan-administered Taiping, the largest island in the Spratlys chain, was legally a "rock" that did not give it an exclusive economic zone, undermining Taiwanese claims to waters surrounding the island. Taiwan's government said the ruling was "completely unacceptable" and had no legally binding force since the arbitral tribunal did not formally invite Taipei to participate in its proceedings or solicit its views. "The South China Sea ruling, especially the categorisation of Taiping island, has severely jeopardised our country's rights in the South China Sea islands and their relevant waters," Tsai told soldiers on the deck of ship in footage broadcast by news channels. "This patrol mission will show Taiwanese people's determination to defend their country's rights," she said, before disembarking from the warship ahead of its departure. The defence ministry vowed to "firmly defend Taiwan's territory and sovereignty" and said there would be no change to Taiwan's claims in the strategic seas because of the ruling. It brought the deployment of the warship forward by a day in reaction to the ruling. The ministry said in a statement it would continue to send aircraft and ships for patrol missions to the region and remain "highly vigilant" to protect national security. Tsai's predecessor Ma Ying-jeou visited Taiping in January to press Taiwan's claims and show that Taiping is an island, not a rock, in a move that triggered criticism from the United States as well as protests from Vietnam and the Philippines. The Spratlys are also claimed in part or whole by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. (AFP)

Taiwan sends warship to South China Sea to defend its 'maritime territory'

About a hundred Filipino activists rallied outside the Chinese Consulate in Manila&#39;s financial district on Tuesday ahead of an international arbitration ruling on the&nbsp;SouthChina&nbsp;Sea.

An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the waterway in which the Philippines is challenging&nbsp;China&#39;s right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory.

China&nbsp;has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter.&nbsp;The announcement is expected at 0900GMT.

The Filipinio activists marched towards the consulate on Tuesday morning carrying placards demanding&nbsp;China&nbsp;leave the Philippines&#39; Exclusive Economic Zone.

&quot;We reject in no uncertain terms the nine-dash claims being made by&nbsp;China, and we uphold the provisions stated in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the&nbsp;Sea. The issue is very clear, that&nbsp;China&nbsp;has to respect the right of the Filipinos, especially on the Exclusive Economic Zone,&quot; said New Patriotic Alliance Secretary General Renato Reyes.

Several fishermen from coastal towns near the&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;joined the protest, carrying a boat effigy with the words &quot;Chexit now!&quot; and &quot;Hands off PH!&quot; painted on the side.

&quot;I will return, I will definitely return. In fact, we went there on June 12, but were blocked from entering the shoal. We were shooed away like dogs, so we had no other choice but to turn back. This is my wish and the reason I came here - to listen to the tribunal decision to see if the Panatag (Scarborough) shoal is ours. If it is, then I will be really happy, and so will my fellow fishermen,&quot; said Fred Manzano, a fisherman from the coastal town of Masinloc near the Scarborough Shoal which has seen various encounters with the Chinese coastguard.

The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group.

The&nbsp;South&nbsp;China&nbsp;Sea&nbsp;is one of the world&#39;s vital shipping lanes, through which a total of $5 trillion in trade is carried every year, and the ruling could further ramp up tensions in the region, where China&#39;s increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours, and is a point of contention&nbsp;with the United States. 
 
(Reuters)

A total of $5 trillion in trade is carried through this shipping lane annually, so tension amid this international arbitration is very high

About a hundred Filipino activists rallied outside the Chinese Consulate in Manila's financial district on Tuesday ahead of an international arbitration ruling on the SouthChina Sea. An arbitration court in The Hague will rule on Tuesday in a dispute about the waterway in which the Philippines is challenging China's right to exploit resources across vast swathes of the strategic territory. China has boycotted the hearings at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, saying it does not have jurisdiction to decide on the matter. The announcement is expected at 0900GMT. The Filipinio activists marched towards the consulate on Tuesday morning carrying placards demanding China leave the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone. "We reject in no uncertain terms the nine-dash claims being made by China, and we uphold the provisions stated in the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea. The issue is very clear, that China has to respect the right of the Filipinos, especially on the Exclusive Economic Zone," said New Patriotic Alliance Secretary General Renato Reyes. Several fishermen from coastal towns near the South China Sea joined the protest, carrying a boat effigy with the words "Chexit now!" and "Hands off PH!" painted on the side. "I will return, I will definitely return. In fact, we went there on June 12, but were blocked from entering the shoal. We were shooed away like dogs, so we had no other choice but to turn back. This is my wish and the reason I came here - to listen to the tribunal decision to see if the Panatag (Scarborough) shoal is ours. If it is, then I will be really happy, and so will my fellow fishermen," said Fred Manzano, a fisherman from the coastal town of Masinloc near the Scarborough Shoal which has seen various encounters with the Chinese coastguard. The case, brought by the Philippines in 2013, hinges on the legal status of reefs, rocks and artificial islands in the Scarborough Shoal and Spratly Island Group. The South China Sea is one of the world's vital shipping lanes, through which a total of $5 trillion in trade is carried every year, and the ruling could further ramp up tensions in the region, where China's increased military assertiveness has spread concern among its smaller neighbours, and is a point of contention with the United States. (Reuters)

Filipino activists rally ahead of South China Sea ruling

It has finally been decided that the Philippines has exclusive sovereign right to West Philippine Sea (in the South China Sea) and that China&rsquo;s &ldquo;nine-dash line&rdquo; is invalid, according to the United Nations (UN) Arbitral Tribunal. 
 
China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined &quot;nine-dash-line&quot; found on a 1940&#39;s Chinese map. The Philippines and other countries dispute this claim. 
 
Commentators say the 3 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of water are a potential flashpoint for regional conflict. 
 
What&#39;s there and who&#39;s disputing it? 
 
It&#39;s mostly empty, and hundreds of the small islands, islets and rocks are not naturally able to support human settlement. Significant chains include the Paracels in the north&nbsp;and the Spratlys in the south. 
 
But everyone surrounding the sea, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, tiny Brunei, Taiwan and, most significantly, China, lay claim to some part of it. 
 
Why is there any dispute if there&#39;s nothing there? 
 
Scientists believe that the seabed could contain unexploited oil, gas and minerals, which would be a boon to any country that can establish their claims to the region&#39;s waters, especially in resource-hungry Asia. It&#39;s also home to abundant fisheries that feed growing populations. 
 
But the sea&#39;s key value is strategic. Shipping lanes vital to world trade pass through it, carrying everything from raw materials to finished products, as well as enormous quantities of oil. 
 
Beijing views the South China Sea as its own backyard, a place where it is entitled to free, uninterrupted rein&nbsp;and where its growing navy should be able to operate unhampered. 
 
How are these disputes playing out? 
 
For years, claimants have been building up the tiny reefs and islets to bolster their claims to ownership. China&#39;s land-reclamation programme has been particularly aggressive. 
 
Satellite pictures now show inhabited islands where there was once only submerged coral and many have multiple facilities, including some with runways long enough for huge planes. 
 
Beijing insists its intent is peaceful but the US and others suspect China is trying to assert its sovereignty claims and say that it could pose threats to the free passage of ships. 
 
Washington says the waters are international and regularly sends its warships there on so-called &quot;Freedom of Navigation&quot; missions. 
 
China says these missions are provocations and warns the US not to interfere. It regularly stages its own exercises in the area as a show of force. 
 
(AFP)

Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, tiny Brunei, Taiwan and, most significantly, China lay claim to some part of the sea

It has finally been decided that the Philippines has exclusive sovereign right to West Philippine Sea (in the South China Sea) and that China’s “nine-dash line” is invalid, according to the United Nations (UN) Arbitral Tribunal. China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash-line" found on a 1940's Chinese map. The Philippines and other countries dispute this claim. Commentators say the 3 million square kilometres (1.2 million square miles) of water are a potential flashpoint for regional conflict. What's there and who's disputing it? It's mostly empty, and hundreds of the small islands, islets and rocks are not naturally able to support human settlement. Significant chains include the Paracels in the north and the Spratlys in the south. But everyone surrounding the sea, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, tiny Brunei, Taiwan and, most significantly, China, lay claim to some part of it. Why is there any dispute if there's nothing there? Scientists believe that the seabed could contain unexploited oil, gas and minerals, which would be a boon to any country that can establish their claims to the region's waters, especially in resource-hungry Asia. It's also home to abundant fisheries that feed growing populations. But the sea's key value is strategic. Shipping lanes vital to world trade pass through it, carrying everything from raw materials to finished products, as well as enormous quantities of oil. Beijing views the South China Sea as its own backyard, a place where it is entitled to free, uninterrupted rein and where its growing navy should be able to operate unhampered. How are these disputes playing out? For years, claimants have been building up the tiny reefs and islets to bolster their claims to ownership. China's land-reclamation programme has been particularly aggressive. Satellite pictures now show inhabited islands where there was once only submerged coral and many have multiple facilities, including some with runways long enough for huge planes. Beijing insists its intent is peaceful but the US and others suspect China is trying to assert its sovereignty claims and say that it could pose threats to the free passage of ships. Washington says the waters are international and regularly sends its warships there on so-called "Freedom of Navigation" missions. China says these missions are provocations and warns the US not to interfere. It regularly stages its own exercises in the area as a show of force. (AFP)

South China Sea: Who is fighting over it and why?

Beijing &quot;does not accept and does not recognise&quot; the ruling by a UN-backed tribunal on its dispute with the Philippines over the South China Sea, the foreign ministry said today.&nbsp; 
 
The declaration in a statement on its website followed a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that China has no historic rights to its claimed &quot;nine-dash line&quot;. 
 
&quot;The award is null and void and has no binding force,&quot; the ministry said. &quot;China neither accepts nor recognises it.&quot; 
 
Beijing &quot;does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China,&quot; it added, reiterating its long-standing position on the dispute. 
 
China has repeatedly denied the tribunal&#39;s authority to rule on the dispute with the Philippines over the strategically vital region, claiming that the court&#39;s actions are illegal and biased against it. 
 
Beijing refused the opportunity to defend its position before the body. 
 
&quot;China&#39;s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards,&quot; the statement said, adding that &quot;China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards.&quot; 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

China has repeatedly denied the tribunal's authority to rule on the longstanding dispute?

Beijing "does not accept and does not recognise" the ruling by a UN-backed tribunal on its dispute with the Philippines over the South China Sea, the foreign ministry said today. The declaration in a statement on its website followed a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that China has no historic rights to its claimed "nine-dash line". "The award is null and void and has no binding force," the ministry said. "China neither accepts nor recognises it." Beijing "does not accept any means of third party dispute settlement or any solution imposed on China," it added, reiterating its long-standing position on the dispute. China has repeatedly denied the tribunal's authority to rule on the dispute with the Philippines over the strategically vital region, claiming that the court's actions are illegal and biased against it. Beijing refused the opportunity to defend its position before the body. "China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea shall under no circumstances be affected by those awards," the statement said, adding that "China opposes and will never accept any claim or action based on those awards." (AFP)

South China Sea ruling: Beijing 'does not accept' decision by The Hague in Philippines' favour

The Philippines is willing to share natural resources with Beijing in contested South China Sea areas even if it wins a legal challenge next week, foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay said today. 
 
Yasay said President Rodrigo Duterte&#39;s administration hoped to quickly begin direct talks with China following Tuesday&#39;s verdict, with the negotiations to cover jointly exploiting natural gas reserves and fishing grounds within the Philippines&#39; exclusive economic zone. 
 
&quot;We can even have the objective of seeing how we can jointly explore this territory. How we can utilise and benefit mutually from the utilisation of the resources in this exclusive economic zone where claims are overlapping,&quot; Yasay said in an interview. 
 
The Philippines, under Benigno Aquino&#39;s previous administration, filed a legal challenge with a UN-backed tribunal in The Hague contesting China&#39;s claims to nearly all of the strategically vital sea. 
 
China&#39;s claims reach almost to the coasts of the Philippines and some other Southeast Asian nations, and it has in recent years built giant artificial islands in the contested areas to enforce what it says are its indisputable sovereign rights. 
 
The Philippines&#39; case enraged China, which repeatedly vowed to ignore the tribunal&#39;s ruling and is currently holding military drills in the northern part of the sea as a show of force. 
 
Duterte, who took office on June 30, has adopted a more conciliatory approach to China than Aquino. 
 
The previous president refused to hold direct talks, and likened China&#39;s expansionist efforts in the sea to Nazi Germany&#39;s march on parts of Europe ahead of World War II. 
 
Yasay signalled on Friday that Duterte would be making no such analogies, emphasising his administration would seek to ensure the best possible relations with China. 
 
&quot;I would like to be forward-looking on these matters,&quot; he said when asked to comment on Aquino&#39;s Nazi statement. 
 
&quot;I would like to make sure whatever actions this administration will take, the statements we will be making will be in the pursuit of strengthening our relationship with everybody and will be for the purpose of making sure there will be no stumbling block to our negotiating a peaceful solution to the issue.&quot; 
 
He also said China and the Philippines had agreed not to make any &quot;provocative statements&quot; following the release of the ruling. 
 
Yasay said after the ruling the Philippines would study it closely, discuss it with allies, and then seek to launch talks with China &quot;as soon as possible&quot;. 
 
Yasay said the Philippines was open to sharing Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground within the Philippines&#39; exclusive economic zone that China took control of in 2012. 
 
He said the Philippines would also consider jointly exploring a natural gas field at Reed Bank, which is also within the Philippines` exclusive economic zone. 
 
However Yasay insisted the Philippines would not concede any of its rights in the sea. 
 
Duterte and Yasay met with China&#39;s ambassador to the Philippines, Zhao Jianhua, on Thursday. Zhao was seen again at the Department of foreign affairs today. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

However, the Philippines' foreign secretary insisted that it will not concede any of its rights in the sea

The Philippines is willing to share natural resources with Beijing in contested South China Sea areas even if it wins a legal challenge next week, foreign secretary Perfecto Yasay said today. Yasay said President Rodrigo Duterte's administration hoped to quickly begin direct talks with China following Tuesday's verdict, with the negotiations to cover jointly exploiting natural gas reserves and fishing grounds within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. "We can even have the objective of seeing how we can jointly explore this territory. How we can utilise and benefit mutually from the utilisation of the resources in this exclusive economic zone where claims are overlapping," Yasay said in an interview. The Philippines, under Benigno Aquino's previous administration, filed a legal challenge with a UN-backed tribunal in The Hague contesting China's claims to nearly all of the strategically vital sea. China's claims reach almost to the coasts of the Philippines and some other Southeast Asian nations, and it has in recent years built giant artificial islands in the contested areas to enforce what it says are its indisputable sovereign rights. The Philippines' case enraged China, which repeatedly vowed to ignore the tribunal's ruling and is currently holding military drills in the northern part of the sea as a show of force. Duterte, who took office on June 30, has adopted a more conciliatory approach to China than Aquino. The previous president refused to hold direct talks, and likened China's expansionist efforts in the sea to Nazi Germany's march on parts of Europe ahead of World War II. Yasay signalled on Friday that Duterte would be making no such analogies, emphasising his administration would seek to ensure the best possible relations with China. "I would like to be forward-looking on these matters," he said when asked to comment on Aquino's Nazi statement. "I would like to make sure whatever actions this administration will take, the statements we will be making will be in the pursuit of strengthening our relationship with everybody and will be for the purpose of making sure there will be no stumbling block to our negotiating a peaceful solution to the issue." He also said China and the Philippines had agreed not to make any "provocative statements" following the release of the ruling. Yasay said after the ruling the Philippines would study it closely, discuss it with allies, and then seek to launch talks with China "as soon as possible". Yasay said the Philippines was open to sharing Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone that China took control of in 2012. He said the Philippines would also consider jointly exploring a natural gas field at Reed Bank, which is also within the Philippines` exclusive economic zone. However Yasay insisted the Philippines would not concede any of its rights in the sea. Duterte and Yasay met with China's ambassador to the Philippines, Zhao Jianhua, on Thursday. Zhao was seen again at the Department of foreign affairs today. (AFP)

Philippines willing to share resources in South China Sea with Beijing

Southeast Asian countries withdrew a statement that expressed the region&#39;s deep concerns over rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea, where China has been involved in territorial disputes. 
 
The strongly-worded statement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), released by the Malaysian foreign ministry, did not name China directly but warned against raising tensions in the contested waters, where Beijing has been building artificial islands and increasing its military presence. 
 
&quot;We expressed our serious concerns over recent and ongoing developments, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and which may have the potential to undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea,&quot; said the statement, which was issued following a meeting in the Chinese city of Kunming between ASEAN and China&#39;s foreign ministers. 
 
But just hours later, a Malaysian ministry spokeswoman recalled the statement, saying &quot;urgent amendments&quot; needed to be made and an updated version would be distributed. 
 
However, no updated joint statement was later issued and the spokeswoman said countries would now issue individual statements. 
 
China lays historical claim to most of the South China Sea, with its Nine Dash line stretching deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia, covering hundreds disputed islands and reefs, rich fishing grounds and oil and gas deposits. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims over the region, through which trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passes every year. 
 
Ian Storey, an analyst at Singapore&#39;s Institute of Southeast Asian studies (ISEAS), said the retraction of the initial statement showed the lack of unity between ASEAN members on the South China Sea disputes. 
 
&quot;The initial statement repeated ASEAN&rsquo;s existing concerns over China&rsquo;s artificial island building and the militarization of the dispute, but also countered China&rsquo;s position that the dispute should be settled by the parties directly concerned and that it is not an issue between ASEAN and China.&quot; 
 
&quot;Perhaps this proved too much for some of the member states and the statement was withdrawn,&quot; Storey said. 
 
The ASEAN-China meeting was held ahead of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on a case brought by the Philippines contesting Beijing&#39;s claims in the South China Sea. 
 
China has refused to recognise the case and says all disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks. The case has become the centre of an international diplomatic arm wrestle, with the United States and its allies insisting on international law be obeyed and China saying it has widespread support for its position, including from some ASEAN members. 
 
Vietnam&#39;s ministry of foreign affairs, in a statement on the Kunming meeting, made no reference to the earlier ASEAN statement but echoed its concerns over increased military build-up in the South China Sea, &quot;especially the large-scale accretion and embellishment and construction of the reefs, the militarization of the artificial islands and actions of sovereignty claims that are not based on international law.&rdquo; 
 
Singapore and Indonesia, meanwhile, took a softer tone calling on ASEAN and China to &quot;continue working together to maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea.&quot; 
 
An Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman said the initial statement was a &quot;media guideline&quot; which had been prepared for a planned press conference for the conclusion of the meeting. 
 
&quot;However because of the meeting dynamics where the meeting extended a few hours past schedule, the press conference was cancelled and a number of ASEAN FM had to leave immediately,&quot; Armanatha Nasir said.&nbsp;

Association of Southeast Asian Nations did not name China but raised concern at Beijing's growing military presence in the South China Sea

Southeast Asian countries withdrew a statement that expressed the region's deep concerns over rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea, where China has been involved in territorial disputes. The strongly-worded statement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), released by the Malaysian foreign ministry, did not name China directly but warned against raising tensions in the contested waters, where Beijing has been building artificial islands and increasing its military presence. "We expressed our serious concerns over recent and ongoing developments, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and which may have the potential to undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea," said the statement, which was issued following a meeting in the Chinese city of Kunming between ASEAN and China's foreign ministers. But just hours later, a Malaysian ministry spokeswoman recalled the statement, saying "urgent amendments" needed to be made and an updated version would be distributed. However, no updated joint statement was later issued and the spokeswoman said countries would now issue individual statements. China lays historical claim to most of the South China Sea, with its Nine Dash line stretching deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia, covering hundreds disputed islands and reefs, rich fishing grounds and oil and gas deposits. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims over the region, through which trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passes every year. Ian Storey, an analyst at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian studies (ISEAS), said the retraction of the initial statement showed the lack of unity between ASEAN members on the South China Sea disputes. "The initial statement repeated ASEAN’s existing concerns over China’s artificial island building and the militarization of the dispute, but also countered China’s position that the dispute should be settled by the parties directly concerned and that it is not an issue between ASEAN and China." "Perhaps this proved too much for some of the member states and the statement was withdrawn," Storey said. The ASEAN-China meeting was held ahead of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on a case brought by the Philippines contesting Beijing's claims in the South China Sea. China has refused to recognise the case and says all disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks. The case has become the centre of an international diplomatic arm wrestle, with the United States and its allies insisting on international law be obeyed and China saying it has widespread support for its position, including from some ASEAN members. Vietnam's ministry of foreign affairs, in a statement on the Kunming meeting, made no reference to the earlier ASEAN statement but echoed its concerns over increased military build-up in the South China Sea, "especially the large-scale accretion and embellishment and construction of the reefs, the militarization of the artificial islands and actions of sovereignty claims that are not based on international law.” Singapore and Indonesia, meanwhile, took a softer tone calling on ASEAN and China to "continue working together to maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea." An Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman said the initial statement was a "media guideline" which had been prepared for a planned press conference for the conclusion of the meeting. "However because of the meeting dynamics where the meeting extended a few hours past schedule, the press conference was cancelled and a number of ASEAN FM had to leave immediately," Armanatha Nasir said.

ASEAN countries walk back on statement on South China Sea

The United States should not decide its policy on the South China Sea based on what its allies think&nbsp;and should stick to its promises not to take sides in the dispute, a senior Chinese minister said today&nbsp;ahead of Sino-US&nbsp;security talks.

China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation.

China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with Washington.

Speaking at a forum ahead of next week&#39;s high-level meetings with US&nbsp;officials in Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said his country had every right to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea.

&quot;In fact the United States is not a claimant in the South China Sea dispute, and it takes no position on territorial disputes,&quot; Zheng said.

&quot;So we hope the US&nbsp;can stick to its promises and not choose sides, but can set its position based on the rights and wrongs of the case rather than whether somebody is an ally,&quot; he added.

&quot;I think if they can do this, and if they can stop provocative acts targeted at China&#39;s sovereignty and security interests, then the US&nbsp;can play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote a lowering of the temperature on this issue.&quot;

China&#39;s top diplomat, state councillor Yang Jiechi, will take this up with US&nbsp;secretary of state John Kerry at their talks, Zheng added.

The South China Sea is also expected to loom large at Asia&#39;s biggest security summit starting in Singapore on Friday, attended by a senior Chinese admiral.

Last month, Beijing demanded an end to US&nbsp;surveillance near China after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an &quot;unsafe&quot; intercept of a US&nbsp;military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea.

Denouncing people in the United States who viewed China as a threat, which he believed was not a mainstream US&nbsp;view, Zheng said the two countries had proved they can cooperate well on joint issues of global concern, like North Korea and Syria.

&quot;China&#39;s development won&#39;t threaten any country,&quot; Zheng said. &quot;I hope certain people in the United States set themselves straight and spurn Cold War thinking.&quot; 
 
 
&nbsp;

A senior Chinese minister cautions Washington to not take sides in territorial disputes in the region

The United States should not decide its policy on the South China Sea based on what its allies think and should stick to its promises not to take sides in the dispute, a senior Chinese minister said today ahead of Sino-US security talks. China has been angered by what it views as provocative U.S. military patrols close to islands China controls in the South China Sea. The United States says the patrols are to protect freedom of navigation. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims, as well as close military ties with Washington. Speaking at a forum ahead of next week's high-level meetings with US officials in Beijing, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zheng Zeguang said his country had every right to protect its sovereignty and maritime rights in the South China Sea. "In fact the United States is not a claimant in the South China Sea dispute, and it takes no position on territorial disputes," Zheng said. "So we hope the US can stick to its promises and not choose sides, but can set its position based on the rights and wrongs of the case rather than whether somebody is an ally," he added. "I think if they can do this, and if they can stop provocative acts targeted at China's sovereignty and security interests, then the US can play a constructive role in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote a lowering of the temperature on this issue." China's top diplomat, state councillor Yang Jiechi, will take this up with US secretary of state John Kerry at their talks, Zheng added. The South China Sea is also expected to loom large at Asia's biggest security summit starting in Singapore on Friday, attended by a senior Chinese admiral. Last month, Beijing demanded an end to US surveillance near China after two Chinese fighter jets carried out what the Pentagon said was an "unsafe" intercept of a US military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea. Denouncing people in the United States who viewed China as a threat, which he believed was not a mainstream US view, Zheng said the two countries had proved they can cooperate well on joint issues of global concern, like North Korea and Syria. "China's development won't threaten any country," Zheng said. "I hope certain people in the United States set themselves straight and spurn Cold War thinking."

China to US: Do not let your allies decide South China Sea policy

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