Asian, European leaders to meet on rising tensions

BRUSSELS: A huge gathering of leaders from 51 Asian and European countries this week in Brussels will focus in part on responding to rising tensions in the South China Sea, planning documents show.

The draft communique to be issued after the meeting says the “leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ensure maritime security and safety, freedom of navigation and overflight and to combat piracy in full compliance with international law”.

It also says the 51 leaders “underlined the critical importance of peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with international law, in particular the UN Charter and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), of refraining from the threat or use of force and unilateral actions that could escalate tensions and undermine stability, and of pursuing confidence building measures and self-restraint”.

In the closing statement, the leaders will also welcome ongoing consultations between China and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations aimed at concluding an effective Code of Conduct for the South China Sea.

China is involved in territorial disputes in the region with Taiwan and four Southeast Asian nations — Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The South China Sea disputes have regularly been high on the agenda at most meetings of the leaders of Asean and their dialogue partners, which include the United States.

China has typically reacted by suggesting that the United States was interfering in regional matters and that territorial disputes should be settled strictly through negotiations between the parties involved.