VIENTIANE: Southeast Asian nations expressed serious concern on Saturday about growing international tension over disputed waters in the South China Sea.

China claims most of the sea but Southeast Asian countries Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Vietnam have rival claims. Friction has increased over China’s recent deployment of missiles and fighter jets to the disputed Paracel island chain.

“Ministers remained seriously concerned over recent and ongoing developments,” the 10-members Association of Southeast Asian Countries (Asean) said in a statement after a regular meeting of the group’s foreign ministers in Laos.

Land reclamation and escalating activity has increased tensions and could undermine peace, security and stability in the region, Asean said in the statement.

The United States has criticised China’s building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to disputed territory to assert the right to freedom of navigation.

On Friday, the United States urged China’s President Xi Jinping to prevent the militarisation of the region.

Vietnam, which accused China of violating its sovereignty with the missile deployment, echoed the US call on Saturday.

“We call for non-militarisation in the South China Sea,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh told reporters after meeting his Asean colleagues.

“We have serious concerns about that,” he said, when asked about China’s increasing military activity in the region.

The group agreed to seek a meeting between China and Asean’s foreign ministers to discuss the South China Sea and other issues, Cambodian Minister Hor Namhong said.

China’s maritime claims are Asean’s most contentious issue, as its members struggle to balance mutual support with their growing economic relations with Beijing. China is the biggest trade partner for many Asean nations.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2016