Diplomats and experts warned Wednesday of a heightened risk of armed conflict in disputed waters in the South China Sea due to a lack of cohesion among members of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). China has ignored a recent ruling by a UN-backed arbitration court finding in favor of the Philippines, and has claimed a recent victory when Asean foreign ministers failed to include a mention of the row in a joint communique issued at a recent meeting in Laos. “The risk of conflict is increasing in the South China Sea due to a lack of a unified position of Asean,” Prof. Michael Heazle of Griffith University in Australia said at the Second Manila Conference on the South China Sea, held at the Manila Hotel.

Torres, E. (2016, August 4). Armed conflict in sea row feared. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A2.