U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed to his Chinese colleagues on Saturday growing U.S. concerns about Beijing’s increasingly assertive stance.
Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Laos.
According to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller, Secretary of State Blinken told Wang that “the United States will continue to take necessary steps to defend our interests and values, and those of our allies and partners, including on human rights issues.”
It was the sixth meeting since last year, with China’s foreign ministry saying that despite the ongoing contacts, “the United States has not stopped and has even intensified its containment and suppression of China.”
Blinken also expressed U.S. concern about “provocative actions” by China, including the mock blockade of Taiwan after its new President, Lai Ching-te, took office in May.
Regional competition between the U.S. and China
It will be Blinken’s 18th visit to Asia since he took office more than three years ago, a frequency that reflects the rivalry between Washington and Beijing in the region.
The trip will also include visits to Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore and Mongolia.
The United States and China remain at odds over trade, human rights and the status of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as its own territory.
China said risks to U.S.-China relations were “still accumulating and challenges were growing,” adding that “we need to constantly adjust our direction, manage risks, properly handle differences, eliminate obstructions and promote cooperation.”
The visit came two days after the foreign ministers of China and Russia met with the 10-nation ASEAN nation and each other on the sidelines of the summit.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Wang and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed “building a new Eurasian security architecture” and agreed to “jointly counter attempts by external forces to interfere in the affairs of Southeast Asia.”
South China Sea tensions
The meeting comes at a time of heightened tension following a series of clashes between Philippine and Chinese vessels over reefs in the hotspots of the South China Sea in recent months.
Tensions remain high between Manila and Beijing despite an agreement reached last week to resupply Philippine troops stationed on the disputed reef.
Blinken criticized Beijing’s “escalating unlawful actions” in the South China Sea.
“The United States has made clear its commitment to advancing the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific, together with our allies and partners,” the diplomat said, according to the State Department.
China claims almost the entire sea route, despite international tribunals ruling that its claims have no legal basis. Beijing also says the United States has “no right” to interfere in the South China Sea.
lo, dh/sri (AP, AFP, Reuters)
