BEIJING – China’s foreign ministry said on Tuesday that it was “extremely concerned” after leaders of Southeast Asian countries expressed worry about land reclamation and navigational freedom in the disputed South China Sea.
China’s reclamation work in the South China Sea has become the latest source of tension with some of its smaller neighbours, several of whom have competing territorial claims in the waters.
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said after a summit this week in Kuala Lumpur that reclamation work had “eroded trust and confidence and may undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea”.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said that China was “extremely concerned” that the closing statement addressed the South China Sea issue, which he said was not a problem between China and ASEAN.
“On this issue China has exercised extreme restraint,” he said, repeating that China believed the dispute should be resolved via direct talks between the claimants.
There were no problems with freedom of navigation in the waters, Hong told a daily news briefing.