South China Sea dispute left out of APEC meetings —Paynor

The dispute over territories in the South China Sea was never mentioned in any of the conversations—whether formal or informal—among the leaders of the member-economies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, the APEC national organizing council director general said on Thursday.

"This was never mentioned by anyone," Ambassador Marciano Paynor said at the close of the Philippines' hosting ot the APEC leaders' summit.

Paynor said President Benigno Aquino III and Chinese President Xi Jinping, whose countries are now engaged in an arbitration case over territories in the South China Sea, “had many occasions” to chat because Xi would always arrive last before meetings as the previous host of the APEC.

Paynor, however, said he didn't know what Aquino and Xi discussed during those informal talks.

“So when he arrived last, they had an opportunity to talk while going to the holding area,” said Paynor.

“I’m not privy to their conversations,” he added.

On at least one occasion, they were seated together as part of a tradition called “troika,” wherein the current host is seated beside the previous and next hosts of the summit.

Aquino also had a brief two-minute chat with Xi before the plenary session with APEC leaders and members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC).

Aquino was also seen talking to Xi before the leaders’ retreat but it was unclear if Xi understood the chief executive until an interpreter approached both state leaders.

President Xi left Manila Thursday afternoon.

The Chinese side before the summit asked the Philippines not to raise the issue of the sea dispute during the APEC meetings.

The Philippines agreed but added that it would not stop other member-economies from raising the issue during the conference.

US President Barack Obama raised the issue during his bilateral meeting with Aquino. He said that China should stop reclamation activities in the disputed islands.

China answered that Obama should keep out of the sea dispute.

In what was seen as an initial victory against China, the UN arbitral tribunal recently took jurisdiction over the cases filed by the Philippines concerning the territorial dispute. —NB, GMA News