China will continue to construct military facilities on artificial islands it is building, Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told a news conference in Kuala Lumpur. “India hopes that all parties to the disputes in the South China Sea will abide by the guidelines on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, and redouble efforts for early adoption of a Code of Conduct on the basis of consensus”, Modi said.
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China’s construction work on its own islands and reefs in the South China Sea is something “we have to do” for the sake of improving living conditions for people there as well as better fulfillment of China’s global obligation, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Sunday.
In late October, the US Navy’s USS Lassen passed through a 12-mile limit around Subi Reef in the Spratly Islands archipelago, claimed by China. This also includes military facilities to protect the islands and reefs, which are located far from mainland China, he said. “China must guarantee the right of free navigation and flight”.
Efforts to stamp out terrorism and violent extremism must be redoubled, said 18 world leaders at the East Asia Summit Sunday, pointing to a recent string of violent attacks that have claimed scores of lives around the world.
A Pa Aling fishing boat at sunset in the South China Sea ocean reefs off the coast of northern Palawan, Palawan Island, MIMAROPA, Philippines.
“The United States is boosting our support for the Philippines’ maritime capabilities and those of our regional partners”, said the US president.
In the days before this summit, the Asean defence ministers repeated the failure of their counterparts in the foreign ministries several years ago to establish a united stand on the matter.
U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a tougher stance on the issue, lashing out at the Chinese government for building military facilities in the area and claiming islands. “In the wake of the events of Paris, it was good to see President Obama make the trip, during which he also reiterated the importance of Asia to American policy”, he said. Mr Medvedev said “it is now clear we can only fight this threat by bringing our forces together and by working through such worldwide institutions as the UN”.
The task of ensuring safety in the key maritime route(sea-lane) in the South China Sea is doubtless in the interest not only of the countries bordering the South China Sea but also the worldwide community, including Japan and the United States.
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“Allow me to first thank concerned ASEAN member states for their support in last week’s Philippine Chairmanship of the APEC”.
