BRUNEI — China agreed on Sunday to talks with southeast Asian nations on a set of rules to avoid conflict in the South China Sea, as the Philippines warned of increased "militarisation" of the resource-rich waters and Singapore cautioned that the start of talks did not mean there was agreement.Talks on a code of conduct between China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will begin in September, according to a joint statement released after the two sides met in Brunei. The move represents a reversal from a year ago, when Asean failed to agree on a mechanism to defuse the disputes amid Chinese pressure to avoid the topic at regional meetings."China and Asean countries are close neighbours and we are like members of one big family," said Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. "We believe a united, prosperous and dynamic Asean that seeks greater strength through unity is in China’s strategic interest."China had resisted the talks for more than two years as competi...
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