ASEAN Summit Meeting South China Sea Issues Continued November 12, 17:54
The ASEAN-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit was held online, and the countries concerned are continuing to exchange information on what kind of wording should be included in the outcome document over the issue of the South China Sea, where China is intensifying its marine expansion.
The summit of the 10 ASEAN countries will be held on the first day of a series of meetings that will be held from the 12th to the 4th with the participation of ASEAN countries, Japan, China, etc., after which the chairman's statement of the outcome document will be announced. is.
The draft chairman's statement obtained by NHK includes the statement that "concerns have been expressed about landfills and serious activities that increase tensions in the region," while avoiding naming China on the issue of the South China Sea.
It also calls for respect for international law, such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which requires peaceful resolution of disputes.
According to ASEAN officials, some countries, such as Cambodia, place importance on relations with China, and exchanges are continuing between the countries concerned as to what kind of wording will be included in the statement in the end.
Concerning the South China Sea, there is growing concern that China is further intensifying its marine advancement movement, such as establishing administrative districts on the islands of the South China Sea, and ASEAN may issue a message in unison. The focus is on what we can do.