By Neil Connor 25 July 2016 • 6:00pm

China scored a diplomatic victory on Monday when South-east Asian countries issued a watered-down statement which failed to mention a recent tribunal ruling and handed Beijing nothing more than a slap on the wrist over its vast claims in the South China Sea.

The foreign ministers of ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), who have been meeting in Vientiane, Laos, were expected to release their traditional joint statement on Sunday, but failed to reach a consensus.

The deadlock emerged as Cambodia, a strong ally of China, blocked attempts by rival claimants in the South China Sea for a tough line to be made towards Beijing.

The Philippines had urged for a landmark tribunal ruling against China’s expansive claims in the region to be mentioned in any communiqué.

But on Monday a watered down statement was finally released that failed to mention the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s decision earlier this month.

The statement was issued after Manila had agreed to drop its demands, a diplomat told Reuters news agency.

The ASEAN communiqué said: "We remain seriously concerned about recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region.”

Beijing, meanwhile, thanked Cambodia - which has strong trade ties with China - for supporting its stance in the South China Sea in a statement posted on the foreign ministry website.

“Cambodia's position was the right one and it would safeguard the unity of ASEAN and cooperation with China,” China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon, according to the statement.

"China greatly approves of Cambodia and other ASEAN countries taking charge of impartiality and safeguarding fairness," Wang said.

China’s rise and its growing assertiveness in the South China Sea has commonly been the major issue under discussion at ASEAN meetings, particularly among the four members who have rival claims in the region: Vietnam, Philippines, Brunei and Malaysia.

China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, right up to the coasts of some of the other claimants.

The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled that China had “no legal basis” for its “nine-dash line”, which defines its claims.

After considering the case brought by the Philippines, the court ruled against China on virtually every substantive point.

China has vowed to defy the ruling, which it described as “null and void” with “no binding force”.

Additional reporting by Christine Wei

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi Credit: AFP