ULAN BATOR — Sympathy and condemnation for the Nice attack dominated the opening of an Asia Europe summit in Mongolia on Friday, drawing attention away from Beijing’s rejection of a tribunal ruling dismissing its extensive South China Sea claims. At a briefing this week, Chinese assistant foreign minister Kong Xuanyou said that ASEM was "not an appropriate venue" to discuss the South China Sea issue. Leaders and representatives of governments from Ireland to Indonesia held a minute’s silence for the victims at the opening of the summit in Ulan Bator. "It’s a tragic paradox that the subject of this attack were people celebrating liberty, equality and fraternity," said European Council President Donald Tusk. The Philippines, which brought the case, has said it plans to raise the issue during the summit.

Source: Viet Nam News July 15, 2016 05:03 UTC