China says it is keen to cooperate with U.S. in region

Why? China already knows all the secrets in the alleged cyberspace warfare.

China already has enough domestic and international disputes with many of it's minority groups and with it's neighbors it does not need problems with the USA, China needs the USA etc..to keep on buying all the cheap stuff they make for us so when we go to Walmart etc..we can take for granted that pair of underwear near to slave labor over in China keeps our butts nice and warm, dry etc..this will keep the USA happy but at the same time, I do feel sad for say, Fruit of the Looms etc..used to love Fruit of the Looms when I was a young lad, now my guess, they are being made out in China too. The USA is in no economic situation to try and start any kind of economic war against China now, the USA needs to slowly but surely OPEN UP THE CHINESE MARKETS to American products and services, the APEC, WTO and TPP ideas hopefully help all of us have cheaper and better services. Both the USA and China need to step up projects on CLEAN ENERGY, the USA and CHINA are the world's 2 biggest polluters and if think the floods in Thailand have nothing to do with GLOBAL WARMING, better to keep sticking our heads back in the sand.

America's input on the South China Sea disputes is about as welcome as China's would have been on the Cuban Missle Crisis.

Why is this article all China, China, China, but fails to mention that Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are also involved in the disputes?

Are China's claims automatically null and void or something, or the only one's in question?

"America's input on the South China Sea disputes is about as welcome as China's would have been on the Cuban Missle Crisis."

landshark : "...16 of 18 leaders at the East Asia summit in Bali addressed the issue of maritime security in the South China Sea, and that China’s Premier Wen discussed the issue after it was raised by Obama."

Wen JiaBao also promised that he would Love & Respect in the morning!

The scenario remains quite tricky though for the US to implement what it claimed -- out of the few key factors : military, economic & political..the US possess basically military means..

On the chapter of economic means the options are limited for the US to claim its influence as most of these countries having disputes ( territorial -- can at best be resolved over decades if not centuries ) are also under the economic pressure not to overdoing in handling the conflicts as China has become the 1 st trading partner vis-a-vis almost with every country & enjoying substantial trade surplus towards China.

Political means is probably the weakest point, tracing back in the last 2 decades, the US has followed a rather unstable foreign policy towards Asian nations ( enthusiastic push in foreign policy with SE Asia was rare ). Trust ? I am afraid mutual trust cannot be established over night ? The Obama Administration faces a vital election in a year.. Noone knows what the US policy would be in 2013 ?

China have to realized they are not alone on this planet and cannot just bully their neighboring countries who have a claim of the disputed islands. The Philippines actually owned the Mischief Reefs and if International Laws about boundaries be applied , it's very clear the Mischief Reef is within the Philippines boundary of 400 miles and it belong to them, if I am not mistaken. South China Sea does not mean anything there are theirs. Geeezzzzzz... Stop shooting fishermens and bullying neighbor countries claiming for Spratly Islands and remove your shits and military installations there. You are squatting there. Your scaring and bullying tactics because of your military powers now won't win anything. If you start WW III , China won't be spared. we are all dead.

I think Bajhista65 speaks for most Asian neighbors that live in fear of being over run by CHINA not only with their military but also with their $$$$. China now has too much $$$, some people welcome their investments, but at the same time, even countries like SPAIN feel their are being gobbled up by CHINA, so imagine poorer countries like PI so poor and too close to CHINA.

It's smart move for China to react to the US for this issue. ( Since I can't fight you, why not share with you some kind of profit...) Also China actually need US Navy to protect his gas transportation over there from Indonesia and philipine pirates.

Amazing how simply calling China's bluff, and ignoring all its childish rhetoric -- by announcing that 2,500 troops are going to Australia -- has suddenly changed the tone of discussions. China's 8% needed growth, to maintain domestic tranquility, disappears if the U.S. gets tough on trade/the yuan. And China knows it. Obama can go all-in, because he knows the Chinese have a weak hand.

"“We are looking forward to cooperating with the U.S. in the region and at the EAS,”

We will not sit idly by while the US pursues it's agenda. As an active particpant we can determine your intentions and actions and cointest and countrer them as needed.

"The United States wanted to discuss the disputes in general terms in the summit, but China says the issue should be confined to talks between the individual regional nations concerned"

Yes, divide and conquer.

If America wants to get China's retaliation, she has got to stop her gunboat policy first and respect others(not just China) in the same way! The Chinese government has made proprosal over the space issue: Non militarization and weaponeization of outer space but unfortunately those directors has taken 'DEAF EARS'! That's why China has to carry out her anti satellite weapon test and bringing a 'fair talks' with American leaders! Because China understood america's bully and arogance attitudes that only having the knowledges of retaliations is the bargaining chip on the table! Now Mr Obama wants a secure issue over teh South China seas....Fine, its fair and thats definately worth to cooperate with teh US in the region......But the Pentagon better understood their ships were no more 'gunships' at least nerest to the Chinese coast! Remember the EP-3 incident back in 2001, it was a hard lesson that doing 'sneaky things' over China's doorstep shall having a price to pay in return!

It would be cool if China opened up a bit more and became more trustworthy to all other nations and allow their people more freedoms especially free thinking and free speech/expression (As long as it doesn't involve guns or explosives xD). For China and the US to get along would be awsome, as diplomacy can open more doors than close. Believe it or not the US will not try to "invade" China, and hopefully China will realise how to better use its resources and enhance its abilities to become more stable and less repressive against its citizens and surrounding territories. Believe it or not many americans and I'm pretty sure a lot of other nationalities want to see China change into a much more wonderful country that people would want to get along with. This does give hope at least.