Hillary Clinton commends China, ASEAN

BALI, Indonesia, July 22 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says China is becoming a cooperative member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Clinton, in Bali, Indonesia, for ASEAN bilateral security meetings, said Friday China is showing signs it will be more cooperative when it comes to settling disputes in the region.

In a statement released by the U.S. State Department, Clinton, meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi before the formal meetings started, said, "I want to commend China and ASEAN for working so closely together to include implementation guidelines for the declaration of conduct in the South China Sea."

"We will discuss our mutual desire for peace and stability on the Korean peninsula," Clinton said.

Yang said a peaceful solution to tension in the region is good for everyone.

"China would like to work very hard, together with the United States, to keep the good momentum of our relationship, based on mutual respect and mutual benefit," Yang said.

Kurt M. Campbell, assistant secretary of the U.S. Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said in a media briefing: "We are entering a period of really quite consequential diplomacy for the United States in Asia, probably more so than at any other period over the course of the last decade."