Philippines urges Asean to unite on sea dispute

MANILA (AFP) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino urged South-east Asian countries on Thursday to present a united front to China over the South China Sea at an upcoming regional summit.

Mr Aquino said all 10 Asean members should speak with one voice at the East Asia summit in Cambodia next week.

"We can talk to the other claimants that aren't Asean members but since we want to maintain Asean's centrality, we must have just one voice in Asean... in this regard," he told reporters.

He noted that Asean included four countries with some overlapping claims to islands and waters in the South China Sea - the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam. Non-members China and Taiwan also have their own claims.