The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting was held in Manila on Wednesday. Hours ahead of the meeting, US President Barack Obama addressed in a news conference with his Philippine counterpart President Benigno Aquino III and said that "We agree on the need for bold steps to lower tension, including pledging to halt further reclamation, new construction and militarization of disputed areas in the South China Sea."

The South China Sea is not in part of the APEC discussion. Instead of making any mention of this issue during the meeting, Obama grumbled about it at the news conference. In addition, Obama announced $259 million in aid to Southeastern Asian countries after boarding a Philippine warship. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe butted into the South China Sea issues on the bilateral occasion as well. Yet, he has attracted much less attention.

The Philippines, as the host country of the APEC meeting, only raised the issue at bilateral events without too much fuss.

The Philippines and Vietnam signed a strategic partnership agreement just ahead of the APEC meeting. Despite the evident intention of this action, both sides did not make public mention of China.

Before the meeting, the US side claimed that high-key discussions over the South China Sea would be held on the sidelines of the APEC meetings. Yet, this issue has exerted limited influence on the APEC atmosphere and on its agenda.

The Asia-Pacific region is attaching overwhelming importance to peaceful development. Territorial disputes cannot outweigh the significance of it. If the US is thinking to draw other nations over to its side in order to contain China, it would, for sure, be on minority side. Only a few countries would stand by Washington's side.

Even countries at loggerheads with China over territorial disputes would rather not have a showdown with Beijing. 

In addition, given China's ever-increasing influence in the Asia-Pacific region, the country is capable of going toe-to-toe with the US over core interests.

So far, nothing out of China's expectations has happened at the APEC meeting and Beijing has not felt any new additional pressure. Chinese people are even chatting about what the leaders will wear for their traditional APEC photo call. 

The US can continue playing its role in Asia. However, if it is aiming to counter China, its influence in the region will see a substantial shrinkage. Furthermore, Washington will feel the decline from ever more setbacks.