ASEAN secretary displays personal bias

IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, LE LUONG MINH, current secretary-general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said China's nine-dash line delineating its sovereignty in the South China Sea is "not binding", and that China's "illegal occupation" of islands and isles had affected the status quo and complicated the situation. Comments:

Mr Le Luong Minh has repeatedly made biased comments on the issue of the South China Sea. These were untrue and incompatible with his position as ASEAN secretary-general. China has abundant historical and legal evidence of its sovereignty and claims in the South China Sea ... Instead of promoting self-interest through his public position, he should fulfill his duties, stick to ASEAN's neutral stance on the issue, and do more to promote the healthy development of China-ASEAN relations.

Hong Lei, spokesperson for Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, March 11

As secretary-general of ASEAN, Le Luong Minh should obtain the authorization of the organization before speaking on its behalf. When has ASEAN claimed that China's nine-dash line was "not binding"? This international organization has never held and never will hold such an inappropriate claim. Obviously, he was speaking in the interests of his motherland Vietnam rather than ASEAN. The ASEAN members have entrusted him with the position, but his words and deeds have betrayed their trust. There is hardly anything more improper for somebody in his position than imposing his nation's interests upon that of the organization as a whole.

Shen Dingli, a professor of international relations at Fudan University, March 12