China’s island-building faces scrutiny at ‘talks’

KUALA LUMPUR: Beijing faces pressure over its island-building in the South China Sea during high-level Asian security meetings this week that will include the top US and Chinese diplomats.
China is expanding tiny reefs into islands and topping some with military posts to reinforce its disputed claims over the strategic sea, fanning fears of a regional arms race and possible conflict.
Southeast Asia’s human-trafficking problem and concerns over North Korean missile launches are also expected to be among the issues discussed at the talks in Kuala Lumpur.
But a senior US State Department official said the sea row will be at the "centre" of the three days of foreign minister meetings starting on Tuesday, an annual security dialogue hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
"The Aseans, like us, are concerned about the scale, the scope, the pace, and the implications of China’s reclamation work," the US official said.
Secretary of State John Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi will attend the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), along with foreign ministers from Southeast Asia, Japan, the Koreas, and other nations.
Asean members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei all have various claims to the South China Sea, as does Taiwan.
But Beijing claims nearly all of it, and its neighbours complain the land reclamation violates a regional pledge to avoid provocative actions.
The dialogue is an opportunity for Asean and others "to express directly to the Chinese" their concerns, the US official said.
Asean has grown increasingly impatient, but Beijing adamantly rejects criticism, claiming "indisputable" sovereignty over nearly the entire waterway, believed to hold important oil and gas reserves.
Washington has warned the tensions could impede freedom of navigation in what is a major route for international trade.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman told reporters on Friday there had recently been "important progress" in talks between Asean and China toward a "Code of Conduct" (COC) at sea, a set of rules meant to avoid conflict.