China slams 'certain country's scheme' in Asean forum

MANILA, Philippines — Beijing accused a "certain country" and rival claimant of driving a wedge between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in bringing up the South China Sea dispute in the forum.

In a statement issued Sunday, China Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying commented on the "stand alone" statement raised by Asean foreign ministers calling for self-restraint in the regional maritime rivalry.

"The issue of the South China Sea is not one between China and ASEAN. China is opposed to certain country's scheme of spoiling the atmosphere of friendly cooperation between China and ASEAN by making use of the issue of the South China Sea," Hua said.

While the Chinese official did not mention the Philippines, the country has pitched the discussion of the sea row in the foreign ministers' meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar on May 10.

Hua said that Southeast Asian neighbors opposing its sweeping claim over the strategic waterway should respect the Declaration on the Conduct and "make positive contributions to peace, stability and maritime security" in the region.

"China is ready to press ahead with the comprehensive and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," she added.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei have opposing claims with China over parts of South China Sea. Vietnamese and Chinese vessels clashed near the disputed Paracel Islands last week as China began drilling for oil.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said he would "highlight the Philippines' advocacy of the rule of law" in the ministerial assembly.

As a result of the meeting, Asean ministers urged involved parties "exercise self-restraint and avoid actions which could undermine peace and stability in the area; and to resolve disputes by peaceful means without resorting to threat or use of force" in accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Read: Asean ministers call for restraint in sea row

The statement did not mention China, but Asean Secretary General Le Luong Minh said afterward that the statement was on the "conduct" of China and other members of the 10-nation bloc.

"We know which countries are mentioned in the statement," Minh said.

At the 24th Asean summit, Southeast Asian leaders declared yesterday that all parties to the South China Sea dispute must stop raising tensions in the area, amid China’s more aggressive actions to assert its claim.

The leaders also said parties must "refrain from taking actions that would escalate tension and to work toward an early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea as reflected in the ASEAN’s Six-Point Principles on the South China Sea."

Read: Asean to China: Stop raising tension at sea

President Benigno Aquino III highlighted Asean member-countries' full economic integration and called for adherence to the "rule of law" without mentioning the sea row with China.

Aquino also thanked the Asean foreign ministers for the statement issued Saturday.

"Nagpapasalamat tayo sa ASEAN chair, ang Pangulong Thein Sein at sa iba pang pinuno sa Timog-Silangang Asya na sumuporta sa ating panawagan sa higit na pagrespeto at pagpapatupad sa mga nailatag na prinsipyo sa Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea," Aquino said upon his arrival in Manila from the leaders' summit.

The Philippines has submitted its memorial before the UNCLOS tribunal seeking relief from China's presence in Philippine-claimed waters.