BEIJING — China is insisting that any mention of the South China Sea be excluded from a communiqué scheduled to be signed on Wednesday in Malaysia at the end of a meeting that includes defense ministers of Southeast Asia, the United States and China, making it highly likely the gathering would end without the usual statement of agreement.
The gathering of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or Asean, was split along the lines of those countries that agreed with China, and those that strongly disagreed, including the United States, Australia and Japan, two senior diplomats involved in the meeting said.
China was asking that the communiqué not even include a factual statement about the South China Sea, said the diplomats, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a delicate negotiation.
More News On China Wanting No Mention of South China Sea In The ASEAN Defense Meeting Statement
ASEAN defense chiefs cancel joint statement over South China Sea row -- Reuters
S. China Sea tensions torpedo Asia defence chiefs statement -- AFP
No Joint Declaration at Asia Defense Meet Amid Sea Tensions -- AP
South China Sea Dispute Sinks ASEAN Joint Statement -- VOA
Asia, U.S. Defense Ministers Fail to Reach South China Sea Agreement -- WSJ
ASEAN signing ceremony canceled over South China Sea disagreement -- Stars and Stripes
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