Phnom Penh - Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told students on Monday that tension at South China Sea between China and the other four ASEAN member states, namely Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Brunei was due to the intervention of the Super Power, known as the United Sates.

In his presentation this morning to 120 university students in preparation for a study tour in ASEAN countries focusing on ASEAN integration, Namhong said “the situation of the South China Sea and the problems over there are getting worse and tense as of today because of the interference by a Super Power.”

Hor Namhong, meanwhile, said he was proud that Cambodia succeeded in generating the Declaration of Conduct by parties in the South China Sea disputes when hosting the ASEAN Summit in 2012.

The minister said the 10 member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), China and the U.S. urge that the declaration be strictly upheld by all parties in conflict.

China and the four members of ASEAN respectively claim either the whole or parts of the South China Sea archipelagos namely the Spratleys and Paracels.