ASEAN to reach out to China on maritime disputes | News | GMA News Online
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei - Southeast Asian nations stepped up efforts on Thursday to engage China in talks to resolve maritime tensions, with Thailand calling on foreign ministers to agree a common stance on the South China Sea ahead of discussions in Beijing later this year.
The initiative by Thailand came as the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) tried to patch up differences that shook the group last year, but struggled to make progress on long-held plans to agree on a dispute-management mechanism.
"Most especially there was a call to have continued engagement with China," Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa told reporters in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of this year's summit host Brunei.
He said that Thailand, which has the role of ASEAN coordinator with China, had called for the talks ahead of an ASEAN-China meeting expected in August to commemorate 10 years since they formed a "strategic partnership."
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China has said it will only join talks when the time is "ripe" and insists on resolving sovereignty disputes on a bilateral basis. Meanwhile, it has flexed its growing "blue water" naval muscle by occupying some areas claimed by Vietnam and the Philippines, leading to a rise in tension.
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Efforts by ASEAN to craft a code of conduct to manage South China Sea tensions all but collapsed last year at a summit chaired by Cambodia, a close economic ally of China.
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Cambodia was accused of trying to keep the issue off the agenda despite a surge in tension over disputed areas and growing concern about China's assertive stance in enforcing its claims over a vast, potentially energy-rich sea area.
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Without mentioning Cambodia, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III drew a strong contrast with last year's discussions following a dinner on Wednesday with fellow leaders.
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He described as "beautiful" the fact that Brunei Prime Minister and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah had brought up the South China Sea issue as the first subject.
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"We should really be thankful that the whole of ASEAN is willing to discuss this instead of putting it on the back burner," Aquino told reporters.
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The tiny oil kingdom of Brunei has a claim in the South China Sea, but along with Malaysia has taken a more low-key approach compared with the Philippines and Vietnam.
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To Zero_wing
Although Brunei is not a Chinese client state, it does not mean he would side with us (Philippine).
Top Chinese legislator meets Brunei's Sultan - Xinhua | English.news.cn (Visits China)
Brunei Sultan, Aquino vow closer cooperation | Inquirer Global Nation (Visits Philippines, mind the rumors)
Brunei will be more like a mediator. Now there will be time to solve problem
