Beijing does not seek 'hegemony', Xi tells Asean

Reuters/ Beijing Chinese President Xi Jinping told leaders of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at a summit yesterday that Beijing would not "bully" its smaller regional neighbours, amid rising tension over the South China Sea. Beijing's territorial claims over the sea clash with those of several Southeast Asian nations and have raised alarm from Washington to Tokyo. But Xi said China would never seek hegemony nor take advantage of its size to coerce smaller countries, and would work with Asean to eliminate "interference". "China was, is, and will always be a good neighbour, good friend, and good…