China has declared a diplomatic win at a regional summit after the recently concluded Southeast Asian leaders. It was considered win after Asian leaders demurred on joining U.S.-led criticism of Beijing's defiance against the international ruling rejecting China's claim on the disputed South China Sea.
According to a report, leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, over the three-day summit reiterated calls that countries should comply with international law in handling territorial disputes. This, furthermore is what China prefers, using moderate tone.
Additionally, even the Philippines, in which filed arbitration case against China, failed to mention during the high-profile meeting on Thursday.
"Only two countries are still sowing dissension, focusing on the South China Sea disputes and bringing up the arbitration case," Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters after the summit.
"This page on the arbitration has long been turned," he added.
Reports say that many Asean memebers are very reluctant to go against China for the South China Sea dispute.
"Asean nations realized that there is a need to seek practical solutions to manage disputes rather than unnecessarily inflaming tensions" by raising the tribunal as an issue, said Jia Qingguo, a professor of international studies at Peking University. "The U.S. would be disappointed that Asean didn't follow its lead in discussing the arbitration ruling."
To recall, four Asean members including Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei claim territorial rights in the South China Sea.
Those waters are reported to be home to rich fisheries and oil-and-oil gas reserves, carry some $5 trillion in trade each year, in which claimed almost in its entire land and water areas by Beijing.
