As foreign ministers of Southeast Asian countries gather in Phnom Penh, they should be wary of letting the South China Sea issue distract their primary focus of advancing regional cooperation.

Marking the 15th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three (APT) cooperation, the 2012 ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting should work on the blueprint for APT cooperation, a dynamic and productive cooperation mechanism in East Asia.

Thus, all sides need to use the opportunity to further enhance and expand cooperation to give full play the role of the mechanism as the main vehicle of East Asia cooperation and to make greater contribution to regional stability, development and prosperity, which also correspond to the theme of the 2012 ASEAN summit, namely "One Community, One Destiny."

In the run-up to this week's ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting and their meetings with their colleagues from East Asia partner countries, several media outlets in some countries have given much attention to the volatile waters in the South China Sea.

However, the Phnom Penh meetings are not a proper platform for the South China Sea issue as this issue is not one between China and ASEAN, but an issue with particular countries of the bloc.

The Phnom Penh meetings should focus on ways to boost mutual trust and cooperation among relevant countries.

Though Chinese and ASEAN officials held informal discussions in Phnom Penh on how to jointly formulate a code of conduct in the South China Sea, it is worth noting that the code is not designed to solve the South China Sea issue, but to promote mutual trust and cooperation between related parties.

Moreover, the South China Sea issue has lasted nearly three decades, during which emerging Asia-Pacific countries, including China and some ASEAN members, have seen rapid economic growth and a peaceful and stable regional situation. Past experience has proved that the disputes would not necessarily lead to confrontation between the countries concerned.

Thus, it is preferable and crucial that the Phnom Penh meetings keep to their agenda and leave South China Sea issue to China and the specific ASEAN countries concerned.

Rome was not built in a day. The related countries should be allowed enough time to negotiate and consult in order to find a best solution.