CHINA TOPIX

Row Over South China Sea Forces ASEAN Defense Ministers to Scrap Joint Statement, China Blames 'Countries Outside the Region'

Kwao Peppeh   |

Nov 04, 2015 05:17 AM EST

A disagreement over mentioning the South China Sea dispute forced ASEAN defense ministers to completely abandon their plan to issue a joint declaration at the end of a regional security meeting in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday, where U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter was in attendance. A statement from China's Ministry of Defense said 'individual countries outside the region' were to blame for the impasse.