Asean tells China its island-building ‘may undermine peace, stability’ in South China Sea

Southeast Asian leaders edged closer to open criticism of China's land reclamation in the disputed South China Sea at a regional summit yesterday, as the Philippines drew the ire of Beijing which called its objections to the work "unreasonable".

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) summit in Kuala Lumpur, which was supposed to showcase the bloc's progress on economic integration, was overshadowed by the long-running maritime territorial dispute and China's island-building efforts in the South China Sea. Philippine President Benigno Aquino held talks with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung on the sidelines of the summit late on Sunday, where they discussed "incidents of harassment that add to tension in the South China Sea", according to a statement from the president's office. Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario also called on member states to "stand up" to Beijing.

A statement to be issued after the summit closes tomorrow says the reclamations have "eroded trust and confidence" and might undermine regional peace and stability.

Satellite photos released earlier this month gave fresh evidence of the scale of the Chinese programme, showing a flotilla of Chinese vessels dredging sand onto a feature known as Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands. Other photos showed a runway and ship harbour taking shape on Fiery Cross, also in the Spratlys, which was little more than a reef when work began late last year.

But mainland analysts said the statement's wording was weaker than they expected, reflecting Asean's reluctance to act tougher against China.