LANGKAWI: The South China Sea dispute has not split the Asean member nations, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said.
Najib stressed that Asean unity and solidarity remained strong.
"It (the dispute) has not split the grouping.
"We may differ slightly in approach, but we are on the same page in how we deal with South China Sea," he said in a press conference here today.
He was responding to a question from the floor on whether the dispute had split the grouping and undermined the centrality of Asean.
China, Taiwan, and Asean members (Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam and Brunei) have overlapping claims in the South China Sea. China has been pouring sand on reefs in the area to create new islands, sparking fear they could be used for Chinese air force and naval facilities.
The republic claims virtually all of the South China Sea, which includes busy sea lanes and rich fishing grounds, and is believed to have large undersea deposits of oil and natural gas.
It was previously reported that the Philippines filed a case with an international arbitration tribunal two years ago, challenging China's claim.
However, Beijing has defended the reclamation, saying it is Chinese territory, and the structures are for public service and to support Chinese fishermen.