The situation in the South China Sea issue has cooled down and the issue "is developing in a positive way", the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday.

"China has noticed expressions in the summit chairman's statement about the South China Sea," ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said of a chairman's statement issued by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Manila on Sunday.

"At present, thanks to joint efforts of regional countries, the temperatures of the South China Sea situation have gone down, things have eased up and the situation is developing in a positive way."