MANILA (Reuters) - China's planned occupation of a disputed shoal in the South China Sea is aimed at expanding its territory ahead of a regional agreement governing maritime rules, the Philippines' top diplomat said on Wednesday.
The Philippines believes China has jeopardised peace and stability in Southeast Asia with its latest incursion, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, and he urged Southeast Asian neighbours to speed up talks on a binding code of conduct (CoC) that will govern behaviour in the sea.
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