The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) failed to reach a consensus on how to deal with China's territorial expansion in the South China Sea, intensifying a diplomatic stalemate that officials said they hoped to resolve in further closed-door parleys on Sunday. The foreign ministers of the 10 countries that make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations deliberated for about three hours, continuing the unfruitful discussions their senior officials had on Saturday, but with no result. “They haven’t completed their discussion,” said Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee. “They are now having a working luncheon followed by an Asean retreat, so the issue will be discussed during the retreat.”

No Asean consensus on sea row-for now . (2016, July 25). Philippine Daily Inquirer, pp. A1, A17.