Asean will maintain a non-confrontational approach in dealing with China over disputes in the South China Sea.

Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said while Asean had agreed to find amicable solutions to the issue and explore every avenue that would benefit all, the 10-member bloc must also send the right signal to China and make the right moves in regards to it.

    

He added that Asean and China must avoid any action that would be counter-productive to the peace and stability of the region.

Addresing the media after chairing the Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the KL Convention Centre here today, Anifah said Asean also hoped China will sit down and discuss with Asean, especially the claimant states on the issue.

"We are of the opinion that there should be discussions on this issue because of common concern and common interest.

"There is no need for any confrontational situation, whereby it will not bring any benefit to any country," he said.

Following the closed-door meeting, Philippines Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert F Del Rosario had issued a press statement in which he highlighted his country's concern over Chinese reclamation work in the South China Sea, saying that if it was not stopped, would threaten security in the region, undermine the rule of law and render the DoC and the CoC irrelevant.

Following the complicated maritime disputes, Asean and China had in 2002 signed a Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DoC), which is supposed to pave way for all parties concerned to draw up a Code of Conduct (CoC) as a guideline to avoid any friction or conflict in the disputed region.

Anifah cautioned that any unnecessary tension caused by the disputes would affect both claomant and non-claimant states in the region.

He said Malaysia in its capacity as the Chair of Asean this year was also tasked by members to deliver Asean's stand on the South China Sea issue to China.

To date, there has been no consensus on the CoC.

The overlapping territorial maritime claims in the resource-rich South China Sea involve Brunei, the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, China and Taiwan.

"Asean member states are very very much concerned because we see that China is a very strategic partner for Asean and very important to Asean and we believe that Asean is also important to China," the Foreign Minister said.

Anifah pointed out that at the same time, Asean members, who among themselves also having overlapping maritime territorial claims, must resolve these issues among themselves first prior to further discussion with China.

On the CoC, he said Foreign Ministers at the meeting had agreed that Asean must intensify consultations to establish the CoC as soon as possible.

The Asean and China joint working group on the CoC is scheduled to meet in May and June to further discuss on the matter.

To a question whether Asean would want to see China stop its reclamation activities in the region, following reports that claimed China was speeding up reclamation activities in the South China Sea, Anifah said: "It would be much appreciated if China could stop the reclamation works and sit down with Asean member states to discuss and find a solution".

- Bernama

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