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BEIJING is to hold a new round of talks with a number of its neighbours later this year in a bid to prevent the South China Sea territorial dispute turning into an open war.
By JAMES BICKERTON
PUBLISHED: 00:15, Fri, Sep 11, 2020 | UPDATED: 05:04, Fri, Sep 11, 2020
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According to Teodoro Locsin, foreign affairs secretary for the Philippines, the talks will take place no later than November. Mr Locsin made the announcement during a virtual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The talks will take place between China and the ASEAN, with a number of ASEAN members disputing China’s claim over the South China Sea.
The ten countries which make up the ASEAN include regional powers Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Beijing’s claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea is disputed by six of its neighbours.
In a bid to strengthen their claim China has been constructing military bases, including airstrips, on islands in the disputed region.
Beijing is meeting the ASEAN group to discuss the South China Sea dispute (Image: GETTY)
China has been building bases on islands in the South China Sea (Image: GETTY)
The United States, and other western powers, have been sending warships on “freedom of navigation” patrols through the South China Sea to signal they dispute Beijing’s claim.
According to Mr Locsin the latest round of talks will take place face-to-face.
They were due to be held earlier in the year but this was pushed back because of the coronavirus crisis.
The sessions will be hosted by Vietnam, which is chairing the ASEAN this year.
China's claim over the South China Sea overlaps with six other countries (Image: GETTY)
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc warned the dispute threatens regional peace.
Speaking during the ASEAN meeting he said: “The regional geo-political and geo-economic landscape, including the South China Sea, are witnessing growing volatilities that are detrimental to peace and stability.”
India is also locked in a fierce territorial dispute with China over their respective borders.
In June 20 Indian soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand which took place in the contested Galwan Valley.
Protest against Beijing's South China Sea claims in Vietnam (Image: GETTY)
A Chinese warship chasing fishing vessels in the South China Sea (Image: GETTY)
A number of Chinese troops also reportedly died though Beijing has not released an exact figure.
The two sides fought with metal bars, clubs wrapped with barbed wire and rocks as guns are banned near the border.
Many of the Indian troops killed either drowned or died of exposure after being injured.
Following the violence India banned a number of Indian mobile apps, including viral video sharing site TikTok, on national security grounds.
China: Long March 4B rocket appears to crash in Lilong Village
India has also deployed warships to the contested South China Sea.
In response Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party controlled publication, published an interview with naval expert Li Jie warned India not to undermine Chinese sovereignty.
He said: “If the Indian vessel takes any actions to undermine China’s maritime rights or challenge China’s territorial sovereignty, China must expel it or even resort to reasonable collisions.
ASEAN has ten members and a number of observer countries (Image: GETTY)
“Should the Indian warship further escalate actions, China will have to make contingency plans and deal with it effectively.”
Earlier this year Beijing imposed a new security law on Hong Kong, a former British colony, stripping the city of much of its autonomy.
In response Britain said Hong Kong residents entitled to British Overseas Passports, which includes all those born in the territory before 1997, would have the right to stay in the UK for an extended period of time with a route available to full citizenship.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/worl...orld-war-3-ASEAN-Vietnam-Philippines-conflict
By JAMES BICKERTON
PUBLISHED: 00:15, Fri, Sep 11, 2020 | UPDATED: 05:04, Fri, Sep 11, 2020
Sign up for FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again.
SUBSCRIBE
We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.
According to Teodoro Locsin, foreign affairs secretary for the Philippines, the talks will take place no later than November. Mr Locsin made the announcement during a virtual meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The talks will take place between China and the ASEAN, with a number of ASEAN members disputing China’s claim over the South China Sea.
The ten countries which make up the ASEAN include regional powers Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines.
Beijing’s claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea is disputed by six of its neighbours.
In a bid to strengthen their claim China has been constructing military bases, including airstrips, on islands in the disputed region.
Beijing is meeting the ASEAN group to discuss the South China Sea dispute (Image: GETTY)
China has been building bases on islands in the South China Sea (Image: GETTY)
The United States, and other western powers, have been sending warships on “freedom of navigation” patrols through the South China Sea to signal they dispute Beijing’s claim.
According to Mr Locsin the latest round of talks will take place face-to-face.
They were due to be held earlier in the year but this was pushed back because of the coronavirus crisis.
The sessions will be hosted by Vietnam, which is chairing the ASEAN this year.
China's claim over the South China Sea overlaps with six other countries (Image: GETTY)
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc warned the dispute threatens regional peace.
Speaking during the ASEAN meeting he said: “The regional geo-political and geo-economic landscape, including the South China Sea, are witnessing growing volatilities that are detrimental to peace and stability.”
India is also locked in a fierce territorial dispute with China over their respective borders.
In June 20 Indian soldiers were killed in hand-to-hand which took place in the contested Galwan Valley.
Protest against Beijing's South China Sea claims in Vietnam (Image: GETTY)
A Chinese warship chasing fishing vessels in the South China Sea (Image: GETTY)
A number of Chinese troops also reportedly died though Beijing has not released an exact figure.
The two sides fought with metal bars, clubs wrapped with barbed wire and rocks as guns are banned near the border.
Many of the Indian troops killed either drowned or died of exposure after being injured.
Following the violence India banned a number of Indian mobile apps, including viral video sharing site TikTok, on national security grounds.
China: Long March 4B rocket appears to crash in Lilong Village
India has also deployed warships to the contested South China Sea.
In response Global Times, a Chinese Communist Party controlled publication, published an interview with naval expert Li Jie warned India not to undermine Chinese sovereignty.
He said: “If the Indian vessel takes any actions to undermine China’s maritime rights or challenge China’s territorial sovereignty, China must expel it or even resort to reasonable collisions.
ASEAN has ten members and a number of observer countries (Image: GETTY)
“Should the Indian warship further escalate actions, China will have to make contingency plans and deal with it effectively.”
Earlier this year Beijing imposed a new security law on Hong Kong, a former British colony, stripping the city of much of its autonomy.
In response Britain said Hong Kong residents entitled to British Overseas Passports, which includes all those born in the territory before 1997, would have the right to stay in the UK for an extended period of time with a route available to full citizenship.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/worl...orld-war-3-ASEAN-Vietnam-Philippines-conflict
