Philippines, Indonesian leaders hold talks on S China Sea, ASEAN bloc

MANILA, Jan 10 (Reuters): The leaders of the Philippines and Indonesia met in Manila on Wednesday to discuss developments in the South China Sea and efforts to build closer ties among Southeast Asian nations, among a range of issues.
The meeting comes after Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Tuesday her country was ready to work with other Southeast Asian nations to finalise a long-delayed code of conduct for the South China Sea.
China lays claim to almost the entire waterway, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual maritime commerce, but its claims overlap those of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, all members of the ASEAN grouping.
"President Widodo and I had a fruitful and honest discussion on regional events of mutual interest," Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, who hosted his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo, told a joint press conference after the meeting.
These included issues regarding the South China Sea, as well as ways to build co-operation among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he added, without giving details.
The neighbours also signed a pact on energy ties to aid co-operation between their business sectors during periods of critical supply constraints on fuels such as coal and liquefied natural gas.