South China Sea: Obama Urges Halting Construction Of Islands In Disputed Area

At a separate news conference, Obama said the issue was a “key topic” at the summit of 18 countries that included China, as well as at a separate summit he had with leaders of 10 Southeast Asian countries.

The Philippines and Japan have vowed to work together for the signing of an agreement for the transfer of defence equipment from Tokyo to Manila particularly coast guard vessels in the wake of China’s unabated “militarisation” of disputed territories in the South China Sea. The facilities include runways and military outposts.

Liu’s comments reflect an effort by China to cast its South China Sea activities in a non-confrontational light.

“These islands have become crucial pieces in the game over who’s the primary power in Asia”, White said, adding distance from a country’s mainland is not necessarily a factor in ascertaining sovereignty. Its construction of seven artificial islands in the Sea has raised tensions in a region with overlapping territorial and economic interests.

He asked all countries to exercise and uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with worldwide law. “Is that a trend of militarization?”

“It is a political provocation and the goal is to test China’s response”, China’s Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhemin said.

This has caused ripples of alarm in much of East Asia about China’s intentions and freedom of navigation in a waterway through which $7 trillion in ship-borne trade passes annually. It is also a rich fishing ground, and is believed to hold oil and gas reserves.

China has declared ownership of virtually all of the South China Sea, conflicting with the various claims of Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei.

How would you manage the South China Sea? “The establishment of the ASEAN Community this year signals to the world that a stronger ASEAN will be an enduring mainstream built on solidarity and communal progress”, he said.

“We hope that would be the case”. But Beijing has rapidly reclaimed land and expanded the islets to build airports, runways and other constructions. If they really intend it to be used by all other parties then hopefully that will be the outcome: “the reverse of the tensions it’s carrying out”, he said.

The Philippines filed an arbitration case at an worldwide tribunal in The Hague in early 2013. Modi extended the invitation to China during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang on the sidelines of ASEAN-India Summit.

He also asked the United States to consider the “good development” of ties between the two countries and in this regard he called to “control” their maritime military operations.

This is Aquino’s last ASEAN summit as he steps down in 2016. Obama is in Malaysia where he joins leaders from Southeast Asia to discuss trade and economic issues, and… Earlier at the summit, China came under renew-ed criticism on Sunday over its rising profile in the South China Sea as it jostled with the United States for regional influence. Washington has said it will conduct more patrols in the area, and also has since flown B-52 bombers over it.