South China Sea disputes dominate first day of ASEAN summit
Bandar Seri Begawan - Territorial disputes in the South China Sea dominated the first day of a meeting of the leaders of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN), Philippine President Benigno Aquino said Thursday.
"Everybody is interested in having a peaceful resolution and also invoicing their concern that there have been increasing sea disputes," he told reporters in a briefing at the Philippine Embassy in the capital of Bandar Seri Begawan.
Aquino said Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, chairman of ASEAN this year, immediately brought out the topic of the South China Sea and the need to seek peaceful resolution in the disputes there during the start of the two-day summit on Wednesday.
He added that as far as the Philippines is concerned, a legally binding code of conduct among countries with overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea would greatly ease tensions that have increased after recurring confrontations in the area.
"There might be a consensus that we have to reach that really pushes the matter forward to really define everybody's entitlements and obligations," he said.
China's claims to most of the maritime area, including several potentially resource-rich island groups, are disputed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
The Philippines in January sought an arbitration with China at a United Nations tribunal over the dispute.//DPA
