There will always be border disputes in Asia, and China should not be singled out because of tensions in the South China Sea, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Wednesday.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers hold a closed-doors retreat in Malaysia on Sunday, as the country hosts its first meeting as chair of the regional bloc ASEAN amid an intensifying civil war in Myanmar and confrontations in the South China Sea.

LANGKAWI, Malaysia (Reuters) - The regional bloc ASEAN and China should make headway on a protracted code of conduct for the South China Sea by tackling thorny "milestone issues", including its scope and if it can be legally binding, the Philippines' top diplomat said on Saturday.

Malaysia will strive to ensure the South China Sea remains conflict-free under its Asean chairmanship, says Defence Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Nordin.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers convene in Malaysia to address pressing regional issues including Myanmar's civil unrest and tensions in the South China Sea. As ASEAN chair, Malaysia pushes for progress amid skepticism about resolving conflicts swiftly.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers are gathering for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc's new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar's drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Foreign ministers of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN at a weekend retreat upheld their decision to bar Myanmar’s ruling generals from their summits and limit the country's participation to a non-political level,