Indonesia has nothing to do with South China Sea, Jokowi Says

United States President Barack Obama welcomed the leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to a summit on Monday in California aimed at enhancing trade relations and forming a common stand on the South China Sea issue.

The Obama administration's "pivot to Asia" has been criticised by Beijing as containing China's rise and fuelling tensions in the region, in particular in the strategically important South China Sea.

Though the U.S.is not a claimant in the South China Sea disputes, Obama is expected to make clear the US will continue recent freedom-of-navigation operations in the same waters.

White House officials have said Obama would deliver a tough message to China that disputes over the area must be resolved peacefully and not by bullying.

His response echoed that of US President Barack Obama's and other Asean leaders: US-Asean's strategic partnership must be sustainable and durable, well beyond Obama's presidency.

Members of the regional blck include Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Obama says the people of a 10-nation bloc of Southeast Asian countries have always treated him well when he visits.

That is something Obama will hope to capitalize on at Sunnylands.

"Given the extraordinary progress that we have achieved together in these past seven years, I am confident that we can continue our momentum at this summit", added Obama.

The TPP is a high-standard free trade agreement with the engagement of four ASEAN member states - Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.

The region is now the U.S.' fourth-largest trade partner.

It also reaffirmed "a shared commitment to maintain peace, security and stability in the region, ensuring maritime security and safety, including the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight".

"As president, I've insisted that even as the United States confronts urgent threats around the world, our foreign policy also has to seize on new opportunities", Obama said during the summit's opening remarks Monday.

Susan Rice, Obama's national security adviser, said negotiations were continuing on a potential joint statement that would cover various topics and not focus primarily on the South China Sea.

The White House, betting that China does not want to be seen as a regional bully, has mustered an informal coalition of Pacific allies to demand that Beijing respect the rule of law. Officials say China has put pressure on countries such as Cambodia and Laos not to sign on.

An editorial in the influential Chinese tabloid the Global Times on Tuesday said the summit was the wrong place to discuss South China Sea issues and that it would not yield "striking geopolitical decisions".

Myanmar's outgoing president, Thein Sein, said last week he would not attend the summit as originally planned, and would send a vice president instead, after his party suffered an unexpectedly comprehensive defeat in the November elections.

Ultimately the ASEAN summit, however, is "not about China", according to Daniel R. Russel, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. For instance, he hoped the leaders would be able to step up cooperation on counter-terrorism and climate change. Eight people were killed during assaults last month in Indonesia's capital, Jakarta, in the first major attack there in six years.

Nick Grimshaw quits X Factor as Caroline Flack 'axed'It is believed he will be replaced on the panel by One Direction's Louis Tomlinson as the band continue their hiatus. Grimshaw, 31, who joined the ITV show alongside Rita Ora past year will not be returning for the next series.

Source: Indonesia has nothing to do with South China Sea, Jokowi Says