South-east Asian nations avoided rebuking Beijing or mentioning a recent UN-backed tribunal ruling against its claims in the South China Sea in the joint statement released Monday that will be seen as the victory for the regional giant.
Read more: Beijing to hold South China Sea war games after ruling
The regional 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) instead repeated that it was “seriously concerned” by “land reclamations and escalation of activities” and called for “self-restraint” in the strategic waterways.
Read more: Pakistan backs China after arbitration court rules on South China Sea dispute
