China Skirts Criticism at Summit as Obama Ally Goes Off Message
- Leaders avoid reference to sea dispute ruling against China
- Obama and Duterte exchange greetings after embarrassing spat
Obama Tries to Complete the 'Pivot to Asia'
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China emerged relatively unscathed this week from an annual summit where U.S. allies in Asia have previously criticized Beijing for its actions over disputed maritime territory.
The meeting ended on Thursday without any official reference to a binding international court ruling in July that rejected China’s claims to more than 80 percent of the South China Sea. Moreover, the headlines were dominated by a spat between U.S. President Barack Obama and the leader of the Philippines, an American ally that brought the case against China.