VIENTIANE, Laos (AP) — Southeast Asia’s top diplomats met with powerful interlocutors in the Laotian capital on Saturday, opening the final meeting of three days of regional talks on tense relations. Territorial claims in the South China Sea,escalate Fighting in Myanmarand regional competition.
The meeting, which will be held in Vientiane on Saturday, Association of Southeast Asian Nations The six countries – including the United States, China, Russia, Japan, India and Australia – will participate in the summit and strengthen ties, as well as discuss major security issues and other regional developments.
At a meeting between ASEAN foreign ministers and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, SaturdayIndonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said a good partnership between the EU and Washington should also contribute to world peace, and that the EU should respect international law “in a consistent manner” on issues such as Ukraine, the South China Sea and Syria. The Gaza Crisis.
Blinken said he looked to work closely with ASEAN countries on these issues and the violence in Myanmar. North Korean Provocations.
Both countries are seeking to expand their influence in the region, and the Secretary of State is scheduled to meet with Chinese President Wang Yi on the sidelines of the meetings.
Participants in these meetings are key allies and partners of the United States, as well as Washington’s two biggest rivals. Moscow and Beijing are getting closer Over the past two years, the two countries have combined their influence on the world stage, raising serious concerns. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov also visited Vientiane and has already He spoke to Wang in person on Thursday..
Indonesia said Thursday’s opening meeting stressed the importance of the region not getting caught up in any rivalry between China and the United States.
ASEAN member states Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei are all in conflict with China over sovereignty claims. Almost the entire South China SeaIt is one of the world’s most vital shipping waterways, and many fear a direct confrontation there could lead to a wider conflict. Indonesia has also expressed concern over what it sees as Beijing’s incursion into its exclusive economic zone.
ASEAN is divided over how to deal with China’s maritime claims. The Philippines has criticized ASEAN for not giving it enough support, but China and the Philippines have come to an unusual agreement to They reached an agreement The two countries want to end the conflict by seeking to establish a mutually acceptable arrangement for the disputed areas without conceding either side’s territorial claims.
Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said: Friday Gala Dinner President Trump met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and agreed to “honor the interim agreement as part of a clear and good faith effort to reduce tensions and to work to prevent any incidents that lead to further strain in bilateral relations.”
The Philippines said Saturday it was open for resupply trips to conflict zones. Without confronting Beijing’s militaryIt was his first visit since the agreement was reached a week ago. In opening remarks at a meeting with ASEAN foreign ministers, Blinken hailed the trip as a success but called China’s past actions against the Philippines, a U.S. treaty partner, “escalatory and unlawful.”
Prior to the agreement, tensions between the Philippines and China had been rising for months, with China’s coast guard and other forces Use powerful water cannons and dangerous blocks An operation to deny food and other supplies to Philippine Navy personnel.
The United States and its allies regularly conduct military exercises and patrols in the region to assert their “Free and Open Indo-Pacific” policy, which includes navigational rights in international waters, drawing criticism from China.
According to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Foreign Minister Wang Yi said in his meeting with Manalo that the deployment of US medium-range missile systems in the Philippines would create regional tensions and trigger an arms race.
of Increasingly violent civil war The issue of ASEAN member Myanmar was another focus of the talks, with Thailand saying it supported ASEAN playing a broader role as Myanmar’s neighbour.
Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman Nicolundey Varankula told reporters on Friday that a dialogue mechanism has been proposed to involve more stakeholders, especially countries that border Myanmar. But he noted that the proposals have only just been submitted to Laos, which currently holds the ASEAN chair and is tasked with recommending the proposals directly to Myanmar for approval.
Myanmar’s military ousted Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government in February 2021 and crushed widespread, nonviolent protests calling for a return to democratic rule, leading to growing violence and a humanitarian crisis.
ASEAN has been promoting the “Five-Point Agreement” for peace, Myanmar has so far ignored the plan.calling into question the bloc’s efficiency and credibility. Violence in MyanmarThese include dialogue among all parties involved, mediation by an ASEAN special envoy, provision of humanitarian assistance through ASEAN channels, and a visit by an envoy to Myanmar to meet with all parties involved.
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Associated Press writer Ken Moritsugu in Beijing contributed to this report.
