China Says It Will Shun Hegemony in Disputed Asian Sea

WASHINGTON, LELEMUKU.COM – Beijing’s pledge this week to avoid dominance in the South China Seacomes too late to convince smaller Southeast Asian claimants to the strategic waterway after years of Chinese expansion, experts say. President Xi Jinpingmade the pledge Monday at a virtual summit marking the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-China dialogue. Hetold leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nationsthat Beijing would avoid”bullying”smaller countries over their competing claims to the 3.5 million-square-kilometer sea. China’s representation at ASEAN events typically falls to Premier Li Keqiang, but this time,Xiaddressed the Southeast Asian countries and said”China will never seek hegemony, still less…