The Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) dropped references
to “land reclamation and militarisation” from its chairman’s statement
this year at the end of its summit in the Philippine capital, Manila.
The reference had been included last year and was even in an earlier, unpublished version of the statement, seen by Reuters on Saturday.
Two Asean diplomats said that this year, China had pressed Asean chair
the Philippines to keep China’s contentious activities in the strategic
waterway off Asean’s official agenda.
China is not a member of the 10-member bloc and did not attend the
summit but it is extremely sensitive about the content of its
statements.
It has often been accused of trying to influence the drafting of
statements to muzzle what it sees as challenges to its sweeping
sovereignty claim.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang did not directly answer a
question on whether China had exerted pressure over the statement.
“Since last year, with the joint efforts of China and Asean countries
including the Philippines, temperatures in the South China Sea situation
have gone down and things have eased up. I think this accords with the
interests of countries in the region,” Geng told a daily news briefing.
“The relevant situation at this Asean summit again fully shows the
positive changes in the South China Sea situation and that the joint
wish of countries in this region is to seek stability, promote
cooperation and seek development, and this should be respected and
supported by all sides.”
China has reacted angrily to individual members of the regional bloc
expressing their concern about its rapid reclamation of reefs in the
Spratlys islands and its installation of missile systems on them.
Philippine foreign ministry official Zaldy Patron, who is in-charge of
Asean affairs, said nobody at the summit had pushed strongly on the
South China Sea issue, or mentioned anything about land reclamation and
militarisation.
“But on the other hand, the leaders highlighted improving relations between Asean and China,” Patron said in Manila.
The softer statement comes as Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte seeks
to bury the hatchet with China after years of wrangling over its
maritime assertiveness and over-lapping claims.
After lobbying from Duterte, China agreed to let Philippine boats back
to the rich fishing ground of the disputed Scarborough Shoal following a
four-year blockade.
China claims most of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines,
Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have competing claims that overlap with
China’s. – Reuters
