VIENTIANE, Laos (Reuters) — Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull urged all parties with claims to South China Sea to exercise restraint during a meeting with leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Laos on Wednesday (September 7).
“Differences should be settled peacefully accordance to international law. And until they are, we will draw side to act with restrain and avoid any steps which will create or add tensions,” said Turnbull, during an opening remarks when he met leaders from the 10-nation regional bloc.
The Philippines said on Wednesday it was “gravely concerned” that Chinese boats were preparing to build structures at a disputed shoal in the South China Sea, shattering an appearance of cordiality at an Asian summit in Laos.
Officials said talks between Southeast Asian leaders and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang went smoothly.
There was no reference during the talks to a recent ruling by an arbitration court in The Hague that invalidated China’s claims to the waterway and has incensed Beijing.
But, hours before the meeting, the Philippines’ defence ministry released photographs and a map showing what it said was an increased number of Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal, which China seized after a stand-off in 2012.
China, Taiwan, and four ASEAN nations: the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts or all of the resource-rich South China Sea, making it a hot spot of regional tension.
Turnbull also discussed counter-terrorism measures in the region with the increasing threat of Islamic State.
“It is a concern to us all. The latest ISIL propaganda is futher evidence that as it faces increase pressure in Syria and Iraq, it will attempt to set fear in the region, in our community. Our updated joint declaration is a significant signal of a collective political will to share our expertise and stay ahead of this evolving threat,” said Turnbull.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged $440 million on Wednesday to help Asian countries strengthen counter-terrorism measures, a government spokesman said, as the region sees a surge in large-scale attacks.
Police blamed a bombing last week in Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s home town that killed 14 people on rebels linked to Islamic State, while 22 people were killed in a July attack on a cafe in the Bangladeshi capital.