Chinese island threatens peace in S China Sea: ASEAN

April 27, 2015 08:05

Chinese island-building efforts "may undermine peace, security and stability" in the disputed South China Sea, said a statement by Southeast Asian leaders meeting for a summit.

The statement, yet to be publicly released, was prepared on behalf of leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathering in Malaysia for an annual meeting.

"We share the serious concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamation being undertaken in the South China Sea, which has eroded trust and confidence and may undermine peace, security and stability," it said.

Today's summit in Kuala Lumpur opens under a cloud caused by fresh evidence in the form of recently released satellite photos showing the scale of Chinese land reclamation.

They depict flotillas of Chinese vessels heaping huge amounts of sand on fragile coral reefs also claimed by the Philippines.

ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts of the sea, which is rich in energy reserves, fishery resources, and is a vital conduit for much of world trade.

But Beijing claims nearly all of it, and its increasingly bold actions to underline those claims have caused fears of Chinese dominance of the waterway and potential armed conflict.

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