ASEAN 'avoids taking sides in arbitration case'

Most members of bloc 'did not want ruling to feature in joint statement'

Most ASEAN countries did not want any mention of the ruling in an arbitration case brought by the Philippines against China to feature in a joint meeting statement, Chinese officials said on Monday.

The officials, attending the China-ASEAN foreign ministers meeting, said only one nation - believed to be the Philippines - mentioned the arbitration at the gathering in Laos.