Vietnam and China affirmed to continue promoting cooperation in less sensitive maritime issues during the ninth round of talks between their working groups held in Hanoi on September 18-21.
Obama hits back by telling Asian leaders China must abide by the international tribunal ruling that its claims to the area have no legal basis.
The strained relations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China due to South China Sea disputes can be harnessed into continued economic growth, said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday (Sep 7).
Beijing came under pressure at an Asian summit Wednesday over its "illegal" island-building in the South China Sea, after the Philippines produced photos it said showed fresh construction activity at a flashpoint shoal.
China’s aggressive territorial push in the South China Sea has resulted in turning this busy international trade route into one of the most volatile spots in the world.
An unusually large number of Chinese vessels have been positioned close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea near the coast of the Philippines for the last week, despite warnings by the United States that China should stay away.
Is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations still relevant? Its inability to reach a consensus over claims, counterclaims and great power rivalries in the South China Sea has exposed cracks in the group's unity, prompting academic commentators and journalists to question its future.
Earlier this week the President of the Republic of Vietnam Tran Dai Quang chose Singapore to make one of his first international appearances in a three day visit that underlined the importance of the ties of that bind these two countries. Singapore and Vietnam are probably the only members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who have consistently taken a strategic view of regional security. Now they are determined to advocate for ASEAN's survival.
This week, Russia’s Pacific Fleet will dispatch a number of surface warships to the South China Sea to participate in the annual Sino-Russian naval exercise, dubbed Joint Sea 2016, held from September 11 to 19, TASS news agency reports.
It is in the interest of the entire region for all Asean member states to work towards a strong and coherent Asean, said Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay called on China on Thursday to respect maritime law and security as well as the rule of law, to resolve disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea.
