Mr Li made no direct mention of Scarborough Shoal in the comments the Foreign Ministry provided, but said, with joint efforts from China and Asean members, the situation in the South China Sea is moving towards a positive direction.
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He said the two countries were also looking into setting up a hotline to tackle emergencies in the disputed South China Sea.
Also wishing to strengthen United States ties with the regional grouping in areas such as technology and innovation that would help facilitate economic growth, Obama “expressed his supportive stance over TPP talks in the region”, Werachon said, referring to the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement signed by 12 countries, including Japan but not China.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying says this week’s ASEAN meetings have produced the steps needed to get the Declaration on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea finalized.
Officials said talks between South-east Asian leaders and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the summit went smoothly, but there was no reference to the tribunal’s ruling.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that he was concerned over the rising threat of terrorism undermining security in the region, saying that ASEAN needed to coordinate a response to the issue, particularly in regard to cyber-security.
“Several Leaders remained seriously concerned over recent developments in the South China Sea”.
Washington says it has no position on the territorial disputes but wants to ensure freedom of navigation.
Tensions have escalated sharply in recent years as China built islands and airstrips on reefs and islets in the Spratlys archipelago – another strategically important location – that are capable of supporting military operations. ASEAN leaders at their earlier summit on Tuesday expressed concern over China’s island-building.
China also hit at US President Barack Obama for raising the South China Sea dispute at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in the Laotian capital of Vientiane. Cambodia, for example, remains in China’s camp, as does Laos to a large extent, preventing any robust statement from the consensus-bound ASEAN group. Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei are some of the countries that have disputed Bejing’s claims over the sea.
Russia, previously silent on China’s creeping invasion of Philippine territory in the South China Sea, has now issued a statement supporting Beijing.
Yet the statement did not explicitly call on China to abide by the July ruling, reflecting divisions in ASEAN.
The Chinese ships were at Scarborough Shoal, a small fishing ground within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone that China took control of in 2012.
Referring to man-made islands built by China, Abe expressed hope that China will “make good on its leader’s statement that it will not militarize them”. Larry is our main news editor.
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Duterte said Li’s remarks represented one of his own principles and he said improving relations with China was his “active desire”, according to the statement.
