Asian and European leaders pledged Saturday to adhere to the principle of trying to resolve maritime disputes in line with international law, but failed to mention high tensions in the South China Sea in a statement that summarized their two days of discussions on security and economic concerns.
The chair's statement omitted reference to specific territorial issues or a U.N.-backed tribunal's recent ruling that rejected China's long-standing position on the disputed sea, mainly due to Beijing's persistent opposition, according to senior officials with knowledge of the situation.
It said they "agreed on the critical importance of confidence building measures, of refraining from the use or threat of force and of disputes being resolved in accordance with principles of international law, the U.N. Charter and the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea."