Xi Jinping sidesteps Southeast Asian pressure over South China Sea disputes

Chinese President Xi Jinping showed no sign of bending to Southeast Asian pressure to resolve increasingly irascible territorial disputes over the South China Sea on Thursday, simply repeating calls for dialogue.

Xi, in the first address by a foreign leader to Indonesian MPs, made no reference to regional demands, echoed in Washington, that Beijing deal with the rival claims through multilateral talks rather than with individual negotiations.

The issue is certain to overshadow two regional summits next week that Xi will attend. But while Xi is touring Southeast Asia, including signing off on multibillion dollar deals with Indonesia, US President Barack Obama has had to cancel trips to the Philippines and Malaysia because of the US government shutdown.

The US crisis has also put into doubt Obama’s attendance at the two regional summits at a time when Washington has been promoting its strategy of putting more emphasis on its ties with Asia.

“As for the disagreements and disputes between China and certain Southeast Asian nations on territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, both sides must always uphold the use of peaceful methods ... to maintain the broad picture of bilateral relations and regional stability,” he told MPs on the second and last day of his visit to Southeast Asia’s largest country.

“China’s development is a force for peace and friendship in the world, bringing development opportunities for Asia and the world and not threats.”

Last month, the Philippines accused China of violating an informal code of conduct in the South China Sea, home to some of the world’s most vital trade routes, by planning new structures on a disputed shoals.