A show of unity on the international stage, but ongoing regional territorial disputes overshadow the opening of an ASEAN summit in Asia.<br/> <br />China's vice-president and apparent leader-in-waiting, Xi Jinping, tells regional leaders Beijing wants peaceful relations following months of tension over long-running disputes with neighbours over the South China Sea.<br/> <br />Disagreement with Japan over a group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea sparked days of violent attacks on Japanese interests in China.<br/> <br />Beijing's claims to sovereignty over a vast stretch of the seas has also caused friction with Vietnam and the Philippines, making it Asia's biggest potential military flashpoint.<br/> <br />At stake are potentially massive offshore oil reserves. The seas also lie on key shipping lanes.
