Bitter disputes over competing claims in the South China Sea are likely to surface at the two-day Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting starting Saturday in this Thai capital after the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat in the resource-rich waterway. Some officials in Manila initially blamed Chinese sailors for deliberately ramming the boat and leaving Filipino fishermen stranded at sea. But President Duterte this week downplayed the incident, saying it was “just a collision.” The flashpoint highlights the urgent need for toughened-up terms in a Code of Conduct for clashes between fishermen at sea, said Manila-based security analyst Richard Heydarian. “If the Chinese don’t rein in these fishermen... this is just going to get worse,” he said.

Asean may tackle sea disputes; garbage dumping not on agenda. (2019, June 21). The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 4.