Chinese, SE Asian foreign ministers meet amid sea tensions

The Philippines releases this photo in May of China’s alleged reclamation in Johnson South Reef in the South China Sea, warning it may be building an airstrip.

The foreign ministry said the special meeting is a proactive effort by ASEAN to further elevate relations with China.

These points were contained in a statement issued by the ministers following the Special ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Kunming, China yesterday.

Southeast Asian countries have retracted a statement that expressed deep concern over recent events in the South China Sea, Malaysia said Tuesday, June 14, adding that “urgent amendments” would be made.

“Asean members are really concerned about the developments [in the South China Sea]”, Charles Jose, the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, was quoted as saying on Tuesday by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“We should keep on expanding our consensus and cooperation and properly handle and control our differences”, Wang said.

They “will also discuss the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of parties in the South China Sea and consultations on the Code of Conduct”, the statement said, referencing two Asean policies on the peaceful resolution of the South China Sea.

The retracted communique had said that recent and ongoing developments have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may have the potential to undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea.

The Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam have competing claims to parts of the sea, which is believed to harbor significant oil and gas deposits.

The senior Chinese diplomat noted that while 25 years may be a brief moment in the history of all mankind and Asia, major changes have still taken place over that period in the relationship between China and the ASEAN.

Tensions have recently been heightened by an impending United Nations tribunal ruling over an arbitration case on China’s claim to the South China Sea, which the Philippines brought in 2013.

“Against this backdrop, certain friendly countries which care about China want to understand what’s really going on”, Mr Lu told a daily news briefing on Tuesday. “It shows that a just cause enjoys abundant support and people have a sense of natural justice”.

“Competition is good and so far we have not lost out due to low wages because the raw material is the same, the factories too”, Kalla said, according to the Post, but he also pointed out that many global garment and footwear companies had relocated their factories to Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia because wages there were lower.