U.S. President Barack Obama and allies from Southeast Asia will turn their attention to China today on the second day of a summit intended to improve commercial links and provide a united front on maritime disputes with Beijing.
After a first day focussed on trade and economic issues, Obama and his counterparts from the ASEAN will try to arrive at a common position on the South China Sea during a second day of talks at Sunnylands, a California resort.
China and several ASEAN states have conflicting and overlapping claims in the South China Sea. U.S. officials want the summit to adopt a resolution calling for China to follow international law and handle disputes peacefully.