ASEAN statement 'can help ease tension'

The statement of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on the South China Sea issue can help ease tension in the region, experts said, after ASEAN members on Friday called for restraint and dialogue.

Excluding any specific disputes initiated by relevant countries, the six-point statement can temporarily stabilize the situation in the South China Sea, said Yang Baoyun, an expert on Southeast Asian studies at Peking University.

It helps restore ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture and shows the international community that ASEAN countries are still unified in response to speculation that they have split up, said Yang.