The 10-nation grouping met in the capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the summit was attended by envoys from a dozen or so non-members, including China, Japan, South Korea and the U.S. Beijing lays claims to almost all of the South China Sea, which covers rich fishing grounds and potentially huge reserves of oil and gas.

The delay is an indication of the divisions inside the Affiliation of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in coping with China’s assertiveness within the South China Sea, particularly Beijing’s current development of synthetic islands within the waterway.

Kerry discussed those issues as well human rights and cyber security, according to a U.S. State Department official traveling with Kerry.

“Japan should put into practice its promise that China and Japan are cooperation partners”, the official Xinhua news agency cited Wang as saying.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said the country welcomed the confirmation from Malaysia about the missing plane.

Read more: http://www.dispatchtimes.com/pressure-grows-on-china-over-land-reclamation/36573/