From Beijing’s perspective, the real progress made during the recently concluded 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings hosted by Manila is that under the joint efforts of China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-countries, the situation in the South China Sea has been stabilized. ASEAN and China were able to conduct effective cooperation and to pull the controversies back on track where all parties directly concerned can resolve this issue through dialogue and negotiation.

Mabasa, R. C. (2017, August 14). South China Sea situation has stabilized - China. Manila Bulletin, p. 2.