China on Thursday sought to reassure Southeast Asian countries that it was a friendly neighbour, as all sides worked to ease tensions that spiked over a maritime territorial dispute.
Chinese diplomats told their counterparts from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at a summit in Indonesia that China was intent on improving ties that had soured recently over the South China Sea row. “We are determined to increase our co-oporation with ASEAN countries. We’re looking to the future, we have a broad, bright future,” Chinese vice foreign minister Liu Zhenmin told reporters on the sidelines of the talks.
“We want to be a good friend, good partner, good neighbour with ASEAN countries.” Liu made his comments shortly after Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his 10 ASEAN counterparts formally endorsed a set of guidelines to lay the framework for a potential code of conduct in the South China Sea.
