Tension in S. China Sea easing: Surin

Tension in S. China Sea easing: Surin

BANGKOK (Agencies): Tensions arising from rival territorial claims in the South China Sea have eased as claimants move toward forging a code to govern activities, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said on Thursday.

Ministers attending Asia's only security working group "concurred that the situation is not serious," Surin said in a statement after the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) security working group wrapped up its discussions.

"Tension is not being built in that area," said Surin who chaired the discussions.

The South China Sea is considered a potential military flashpoint because of rival claims to islands there, making it a regular issue of concern at the annual security forum of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam have laid partial or entire claims to the South China Sea's Spratly Islands along with China and Taiwan.

All except Brunei have stationed troops on the islands.

ASEAN also includes Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand

The Philippines, the weakest militarily among the claimants, has accused China of occupying territories claimed by Manila over the past three years, straining diplomatic ties.

ASEAN and China are currently hammering out a code of conduct to govern activities in the South China Sea. Surin said a working group would meet in Beijing in August to iron out disagreements.

Surin said that the foreign ministers who attended the ARF forum "welcomed in particular the ongoing efforts between ASEAN and China" to develop the code of conduct.

The ARF also includes Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, North Korea, Papua New Guinea, Russia, South Korea, and the United States.

China expressed indignation on Thursday when other countries raised the issue of disputed islands in the South China Sea at Asia's largest security forum.

Surin, chairman of the ARF meeting in Bangkok, defended their right to do so.

"Individual members may express views that this or that issue should not be part of the ARF," Surin said. "Well, it's already been raised."

He said China was helping frame a common code of conduct with the ASEAN aimed at preventing escalating tensions due to competing claims in the South China Sea.

But Zhang Haifeng, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the forum was no place to talk about it -- though all countries disputing control over the islands, except Taiwan, are members.

"We will not discuss the issue of South China Sea in the forum of the ARF because this is a bilateral issue," Zhang told reporters.

"The Chinese side will continue to actively consult with the relevant countries until we reach agreements with them respectively," he said.

Earlier this year, China and ASEAN states agreed that conflicting territorial claims should be resolved on a country-by-country basis and resolved to frame a non-legally binding code of conduct.