China said that it will meet with Southeast Asian nations over the weekend to discuss implementation of an agreement aimed at safeguarding peace in the South China Sea, according to AP. China claims all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines also have claims. The meeting in Beijing between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations begins Friday. It centers on a 2002 ASEAN-China declaration that calls on all claimants not to take steps that could spark tensions in the seas, which are believed to be rich in natural resources and are crossed by vital shipping lanes. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters Thursday that China and the Philippines will also meet Saturday to discuss their territorial dispute.
