by Xinhua Writer Liu Chang
BEIJING, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Asia-Pacific boasts the world's most dynamic economies, highly lucrative markets and captivating cultural diversity. It could well become the future of the world. Yet some meddlers are jeopardizing that prospect.
Starting from Sunday, foreign ministers of the East Asia Summit countries will be under the same roof in the Laotian capital of Vientiane for a series of meetings. The coming days are a chance for the top diplomats to start engaging in damage control after the recent null and void award on the South China Sea arbitration, a blow to peace and stability in the region.
Worryingly, the arbitration, a unilateral move by the Philippines, has set a fraught and dangerous precedent of mishandling maritime disputes. Worse still, a handful of countries within and outside the region have urged China to follow the ruling by a highly questionable arbitral tribunal in The Hague, which has clearly acted beyond its jurisdiction. The ruling by no means helps solving the problem by peaceful ways and only serves to increase the likelihood of confrontation and turbulence.
In a latest positive sign, former Philippine President Fidel Ramos has accepted the offer of President Rodrigo Duterte to be special envoy to China, opening the possibility of dialogue between Beijing and Manila. It is a testimony that the South China Sea disputes can be solved by directly involved parties, without the interference from outsiders.
Still, the risks of rising tensions, fanned by a few countries may not be underestimated.
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