Southeast Asian nations overcame days of deadlock on Monday when the Philippines dropped a request for their joint statement to mention a landmark legal ruling on the South China Sea, officials said, after objections from Cambodia. China publicly thanked Cambodia for supporting its stance on maritime disputes, a position that threw the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) weekend meeting in the Laos capital of Vientiane into disarray. Competing claims with China in the vital waterway are among the most contentious issues for Asean, with its 10 members pulled between their desire to assert their sovereignty while finding common ground and fostering political and commercial ties with Beijing.

Torres, E. (2016, July 26). China scores win; PH lets go of bid to cite sea ruling. Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. A1, A17.