Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers link arms during the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat in Boracay, central Philippines February 21, 2017. Malacanang Photo/Handout via Reuters
BORACAY, Philippines (Reuters) - Southeast Asian countries see China's installation of weapons systems in the South China Sea as "very unsettling" and have urged dialogue to stop an escalation of "recent developments", the Philippines said on Tuesday.
The region's foreign ministers were unanimous in their concern over China's militarisation of its artificial islands, but were confident a framework for a code of maritime conduct could be agreed with Beijing by June, Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said.
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