South China Sea Stability Key Focus Of Malaysia's Asean Chairmanship

PUTRAJAYA, April 25 (Bernama) -- Stability in the South China Sea will be one of Malaysia's main priorities when it assumes the Asean chairmanship next year, said Foreign Minister Anifah Aman. He said Malaysia had a clear interest in ensuring the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial and maritime claims have often been sources of tension, was prosperous, stable and safe. "That interest is widely shared in Asean and beyond," he told a media briefing here Friday ahead of the arrival of United States President Barack Obama Saturday for his maiden visit to Malaysia. On the issue of the South China Sea, the minister said it was important that both China and the US played a positive role in the Southeast Asia region. "It is not a question of picking sides as the region needs both countries," he said, adding that the real question was how to manage the different relationships to ensure stability, peace and prosperity. He said Asean and China's fates were entertwined, and that prosperity for one was prosperity for the other. "Therefore we are confident we can find a solution that works for everyone," he said. -- BERNAMA