ASEAN foreign ministers express concern over South China Sea tensions

Foreign ministers of Southeast Asia’s regional bloc ASEAN on Saturday expressed theirconcern over growing tensions in the South China Sea which they said could threaten regional peace and urged for peaceful dialogue among parties.
“We closely follow with concern the recent developments in the South China Sea that may undermine peace, security, and stability in the region,” the bloc’s top diplomats said in a statement.
The statement came as China and the Philippines have traded accusations in recent months over a series of maritime run-ins and as Manila cited the need to change its approach since diplomatic efforts were headed in a “poor direction”.
China has described the accusations as “purely false hype”, and said it will not turn a blind eye to repeated “provocations and harassment” by the Philippines.
ASEAN foreign ministers also reaffirmed the need to “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes”.