Dialogue can pave way for solving sea disputes

Twenty-five years after they launched their formal dialogue mechanisms, China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have found themselves better off thanks to closer communication.

But the once virtuous cycle between economic payoff and political closeness has come under threat as territorial disputes in the South China Sea have come to dominate the limelight and evolved into a potential flashpoint.

The special ASEAN-China foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday was important in that it provided a timely venue for strategic communication.