China will always ensure freedom of navigation and flight in the South China Sea, but disputes over the contested waters should be settled only by the countries directly involved, Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Saturday.

In a veiled reference to the United States, he stressed that Beijing was committed to a peaceful resolution with “countries with a direct stake in the issue”.

Others “from outside the region” were welcomed to have a positive influence on peace and development in Asia, Xi said in a speech at the National University of Singapore.

His comments came after Washington sent a guided-missile destroyer last month within 12 nautical miles of Beijing’s expanded Subi Reef, which forms part of the disputed Spratly Islands.

… The visit could lead to “some short-term positive impact” on Sino-Vietnamese relations, said international relations analyst Li Mingjiang from the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore.