The United States and Japan are pushing to get concerns about the South China Sea included in a statement to be issued after regional defense talks this week in Malaysia, despite Chinese objections to any mention of the disputed waterway, officials said.
A senior U.S. defense official said Beijing had made clear as early as last February that it didn't want the South China Sea discussed at the meeting between Southeast Asian defense ministers and their counterparts from across the Asia-Pacific in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday.
"We've been very clear along with many other like-minded countries that South China Sea language should be included, but there are members who feel differently," the U.S. defense official said, adding that China was the main obstacle.