BEIJING, 23 November 2021, (TON): Chinese President Xi Jinping told leaders of the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) at a summit 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".

Chinese state media quoted Xi as said "China was, is, and will always be a good neighbour, good friend, and good partner of Asean.”

China’s assertion of sovereignty over the South China Sea has set it against Asean members Vietnam and the Philippines, while Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also lay claim to parts.

The Philippines condemned the actions of three Chinese coast guard vessels that it said blocked and used water cannon on resupply boats headed towards a Philippine-occupied atoll in the sea.