China, Japan and Korea are key members of the 27-country ASEAN Regional Forum, which also met Thursday…and pivotal players in the East Asia Summit.
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A day after voicing concern to his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi over the potential “militarisation” of the South China Sea, Kerry said freedom of navigation must be maintained.
Hua stressed that China has always been committed to settling South China Sea disputes through consultation and negotiation with countries directly concerned, on the basis of historical facts and in accordance with worldwide law.
“We fully explained Japan’s security policies as well as its stance on the situation in the South China Sea and gained support and understanding from many participating countries”, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said in Kuala Lumpur after attending a series of regional meetings involving the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its regional partners including Japan, China and the United States.
“China opposes any non-constructive words and acts which widen division, exaggerate antagonism or create tensions”.
One diplomat inside the meeting room told Reuters that China was angered when Mr del Rosario outlined in detail a legal case that Manila filed against Beijing at an worldwide court in The Hague.
Part of Russia’s response has been its growing military cooperation with China, which Lavrov said will help to confront new worldwide threats and challenges.
Wang told the meeting that “China can not accept the results of any arbitration”.
Within a year since he assumed office in late 2012, Abe visited all 10 members of ASEAN – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
The other nations say they have yet to verify China’s claim that it has stopped reclamation.
Turning to Japan, Wang said Japan had built up a remote island in the Pacific called Okinotori to enforce Japanese territorial claims.
China has previously refused to recognize Tokyo’s claims to an exclusive economic zone around Okinotori, which lies about halfway between Guam and Taiwan, 1,700 km from Tokyo.
“We have taken note of the communique”, Hua said.
ASEAN foreign ministers concluded their talks on Tuesday after rebuffing a request from China to leave the dispute off the agenda.
China was “entitled to defend its own sovereignty, rights and interests”, according to a report from Xinhua news agency in China.
It said the land works “have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea“, without specifically singling out Beijing.
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Japanese media said Kishida told Wang that China should refrain from unilateral gas development in the East China Sea.
