Constructive engagement key to South China Sea stability

Summing up his impressions of the foreign ministers meetings on East Asia cooperation that just concluded in Singapore, chief Chinese diplomat Wang Yi highlighted a sharp contrast: a "very successful and smooth" 10+3 session and a 10+8 session that displayed "some negative tendencies".

The 10+3 mechanism convenes the 10 ASEAN member countries and China, Japan and Republic of Korea. The 10+8 incorporates Australia, India, New Zealand, Russia and the United States with the 10+3.

Wang's appraisal highlighted that as countries in the region press ahead with cooperation and seek to ensure peace and stability in the South China Sea, some "extra-regional countries" constitute a threat to the entire region.