ASEAN condemns illegal island building activities in the South China Sea.
ASEAN foreign ministers believe that China's continued illegal reclamation of islands and reefs in the South China Sea could increase regional tensions.
|
Subi Reef, part of Vietnam's Spratly Islands, is illegally occupied by China, as seen from above in April 2017. Photo:Reuters. |
Foreign ministers from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) issued a joint statement today following a one-day meeting in Singapore.AFPThe report did not mention China by name, but the statement referred to Beijing's illegal reclamation activities in the South China Sea in recent times.
"The foreign ministers noted concerns from some foreign ministers regarding land reclamation and other activities in the area, which erode trust and credibility, increase tensions, and could undermine regional peace, security, and stability," Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said in a joint statement.
In December 2017, China defended its construction activities in the South China Sea as "normal" to counter new satellite images released by a US policy institute showing the deployment of radar systems and other equipment there.
Following a meeting with ASEAN last year, Beijing agreed to begin negotiations on the development of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC). However, Balakrishnan warned that this would be a "complex" process.
China unilaterally claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, overlapping with the maritime territories of neighboring countries. Beijing is illegally reclaiming land on islands and reefs it controls in the South China Sea, including building runways, causing international concern.
