China foreign minister Wang Yi met ASEAN secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn in Manila. Wang said the South China Sea should not be an obstacle to China‑ASEAN relations, accused elements within the Philippine military and police of deliberate provocations serving external powers’ interests that undermine China‑Philippines rapprochement and regional stability, and urged heightened vigilance. He said China will work with ASEAN to remove interference, accelerate negotiations on a South China Sea Code of Conduct, promote a peace-and-stability narrative and retain the initiative on South China Sea issues.(金十数据)