China extends olive branch to wary SE Asia at summit

Chinese prime minister calls for end to tensions over South China Sea during meeting of Asian leaders in Brunei.

Leaders from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, China and Brunei during a family photo session for the 16th Asean-China Summit as part of the 23rd Asean summit in Brunei. Rungroj Yongrit / EPA

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei // China offered an olive branch on Wednesday to Southeast Asian nations wary of Beijing’s territorial claims, keeping its growing clout on display at yet another summit notable by Barack Obama’s absence.

The Chinese prime minister, Li Keqiang, called for an end to tensions over the South China Sea during a meeting with the heads of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).

“A peaceful South China Sea is a blessing for all. We need to work together to make the South China Sea a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation,” Mr Li said.

He took the baton from Xi Jinping, the president who underlined Chinese power by occupying centre-stage in previous days at an Asia-Pacific summit in Bali with Mr Obama stuck at home due to the US government shutdown.

Some Asean members who hold various claims to the South China Sea have voiced increasing alarm at perceived provocative acts by Beijing in asserting its claims in the strategic body of water.

China has sought to portray a friendlier face more recently, dangling lucrative trade promises around the region, while holding its ground on its claims to most of the South China Sea.

In sharp contrast to the often icy tone China takes with perceived rivals like the United States and Japan, Mr Li showered his Asean counterparts with pledges of friendship and deeper economic integration.

Smiling and energetic, he called for the two sides to ramp up efforts to more than double China-Asean trade to US$1 trillion (Dh3.67 trillion) by 2020, from about $400 billion last year.

Mr Obama had said he planned during the Brunei gathering to lend his presidential prestige to calls for a speedy agreement between China and Asean on a code of conduct at sea to avoid accidental conflict.

However, as he did in Bali, Mr Obama’s top diplomat John Kerry was in Brunei instead to show support for America’s Asian allies.

The two days of revolving-door talks in Brunei include Asean, the United States, Japan and South Korea and several other regional players.

China has succeeded in lowering tensions by agreeing recently to join with Asean in initial talks towards a code of conduct.

Even the Philippines, usually one of the most vociferous critics of Beijing’s claims in the South China Sea, welcomed the tentative signs of a thaw.

“In recent months discussions on the code of conduct between China and Asean have met with some degree of progress,” Ramon Carandang, the Philippines presidential spokesman, said. “Right now you’re seeing everybody engaging, even China.”

Mr Li and the Southeast Asian leaders were all smiles as they cut a giant blue and pink cake to mark the 10th anniversary of a China-Asean strategic partnership.

However, some analysts view Beijing’s recent moves as a bid to buy time while it continues to build its regional clout.

China “is not going to compromise on its claims”, said Ian Storey of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.

China signalled ahead of the meetings that it would not look kindly on attempts to raise sea disputes at an expanded East Asia Summit of 18 nations on Thursday, in comments that appeared aimed at Washington.

The South China Sea, which is believed to sit atop vast deposits of oil and natural gas, has long been regarded as a potential military flashpoint.

The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei, all members of Asean, also have various claims to the strategic sea.

Territorial tensions among Japan and China and South Korea have also soared in recent years.

The three countries each held separate bilateral talks with the Asean bloc on Wednesday. A group gathering between Asean and the three East Asian powers was planned for Thursday.

However, reflecting deep-seated mistrust over maritime disputes, Beijing has ruled out bilateral talks between Mr Li and the Japanese prime minister, Shinzo Abe, in Brunei.

* Agence France-Presse