Beijing came in for criticism by veteran diplomats yesterday at a conference in Jakarta, for its apparent move to split Asean over the territorial claims in the South China Sea.

The speakers at the event had strong words for the Chinese, whose Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday announced a four-point consensus with Brunei, Cambodia and Laos on the issue. Mr Wang said the four had agreed that the territorial disputes were “not an issue between China and Asean as a whole”.

Mr Ong Keng Yong, who is Singapore’s Ambassador-at-Large, said the announcement amounted to China meddling in the internal affairs of the regional grouping.

“Having (the Chinese) Foreign Minister announce that two of non- claimant states, namely Cambodia and Laos, have decided that they are not going to do this and that, seems to me like interfering in the domestic affairs of Asean,” said the former Asean secretary-general.