Ban Ki Moon calls for restraint on South China Sea dispute

Nov 26, 2015 United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon recently urged caution after China insisted that it would continue to build military and civilian facilities on disputed artificial islands off the South China Sea.

China, which lays claims to almost the entire energy-rich South China Sea, has transformed several reefs in the Spratly archipelago into artificial islands. The Asia giant has also built airfields and other facilities on some of them.

This has prompted concerns in the region that China might be trying to militaries its claims in the South China Sea which overlays counter claims from Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei.

During a meeting with the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Malaysia, Ban Ki-moon said:

“On the competing claims in the South China Sea I have consistently said all parties should exercise the utmost restrain and resolve the dispute in a peaceful manner through dialogue and in conformity in international law,”