None of the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) “strongly pushed” for the inclusion of the issue of China’s massive reclamation and militarization activities in the South China during the recently concluded regional summit in Manila, Foreign Affairs executive director Zaldy Patron said yesterday. He said Asean leaders instead acknowledged “the improving relations between Asean member states or Asean and China.” Patron's statement contradicted earlier reports that some Asea leaders wanted to include "land reclamation and militarization" activities in the final Asea Chairman's Statement that was issued at the conclusion of the Asean summit.

Montemayor, J. (2017, May 3). DFA: no Asean member pushed China issue. Malaya Business Insight, pp. B1, B6.