China and Asean reach deal on uninhabited South China Sea islands
Southeast Asian bloc expresses concerns about land reclamation but steers clear of challenging Beijing and international tribunal’s ruling
China and Asean members agreed on Monday to avoid basing people on now-uninhabited islands and reefs in the disputed South China Sea, as the bloc made its first official joint statement on the waters since an international tribunal ruling this month.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ joint communique expressed serious concerns over land reclamation and “escalations of activities in the area”, but did not directly challenge China nor mention the ruling.
China and Asean then released a separate joint statement on implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
The statement said China and Asean agreed to refrain from “action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features and to handle their differences in a constructive manner”.
It also underlined their pledge to respect freedom of navigation and to peacefully solve territorial disputes through negotiation in accordance with international laws, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.