-(Channel NewsAsia 14/12) Kerry in Vietnam on first visit as top US diplomat: US Secretary of State John Kerry Saturday attended mass at a cathedral in Vietnam, where he served during the war, in a trip aimed at shoring up Southeast Asian ties amid regional tensions. –(Vietnamplus 14/12) Joint Statement of ASEAN-Japan Commemorative Summit

-(Philippine Daily Inquirer 11/12) South China Sea disputes up for discussion in Japan-Asean summit: Territorial disputes in the South China Sea the East Sea and Yellow Sea will be on the table as President Aquino joins fellow heads of state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for a summit meeting with Japan. -(Radio Free Asia 10/12) Will Beijing Declare a Special Air Defense Zone Over the South China Sea?

-(Taiwan Focus 11/12) Chinese scholar wants aircraft carrier in South China Sea: China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, should be deployed in the South China Sea to strengthen the country's claim to the region, a Chinese military expert has argued. –(Want China Times 11/12) Beijing unlikely to declare South China Sea ADIZ in short term

-(GMA Network 11/12) PHL, China bond still strong despite territorial rift: Despite the territorial disputes between the Philippines and China, relations have managed to march on with Beijing’s sending of aid and a hospital ship to the country after the onslaught of Typhoon Yolanda, Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing to the Philippines said.

-(Vietnamplus 10/12) Vietnam joins efforts to ensure maritime security: Commander of the Navy of the Vietnamese People’s Army Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, together with his foreign counterparts, is attending a symposium on international maritime security in Jakarta.

-(Xinhua 9/12) China dismisses Japan's opposition to South China Sea ADIZ: "China is determined to safeguard national security. No country should make comments on this matter," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei at a regular press briefing. –(Global Times 9/12) Chinese diplomacy should move past focus on regional disputes

-(Reuters 9/12) China’s air zone announcement was just the beginning: Longer term, conflict in the East China Sea remains the greatest potential danger to the international order and the global economy. For now, China will wait for the next attractive moment to shift the status quo in its favor.

-(Xinhua 9/12) China supports building of harmonious ocean: China stands ready to promote the creation of a harmonious ocean together with other nations, said a Chinese envoy to the UN on Monday.

-(PhilStar 9/12) Philippines open to talks, defense treaty with Japan amid China row: President Benigno Aquino III is open to discussing the possibility of a defense treaty with Japan as he attends the 40th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Japan Commemorative Summit in Tokyo this week. –(GMA Network 9/12) South China Sea dispute may be tackled in ASEAN-Japan Summit

-(Philippine Daily Inquirer 9/12) Japan seeks int’l action against China air zone: Japan’s defense minister called on the international community on Sunday to oppose China’s recently declared maritime air defense zone over the East China Sea and possibly over the disputed South China Sea.

-(The New York Times 8/12) South Korea Announces Expansion of Its Air Defense Zone: Defying both China and Japan, South Korea announced on Sunday that it was expanding its air patrol zone for the first time in 62 years to include airspace over the East China Sea that is also claimed by Beijing and Tokyo. –(China Post 9/12) Taiwan again calls for peaceful resolution after S. Korea move

-(The Manila Times 8/12) Here we go again: China’s new gambit: With the impending expansion of US military rotations in the archipelago, the Philippines is now a frontline state in Washington’s effort to counter Beijing’s force deployment, as West Germany was in the US.-Soviet confrontation in Europe. That can only bring more security tensions for the nation.