U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticized Beijing’s “escalating and unlawful actions” in the South China Sea at a summit yesterday, where his Russian counterpart said Washington has stoked anxiety in its plan for a nuclear deterrence with ally Seoul for the Korean peninsula.
Blinken singled out China over its coast guard’s hostile actions against U.S. defense treaty ally the Philippines in the South China Sea, but he also lauded the two countries for their diplomacy after Manila completed a resupply mission earlier yesterday to troops at a disputed shoal, unimpeded by China.
Blinken was attending the security-focused ASEAN Regional Forum on Saturday alongside diplomats of major powers that included Russia, India, China, Australia, Japan and the European Union, which included discussions on the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and tension in the South China Sea.
“We applaud that and hope and expect to see that it continues going forward.”
Blinken held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the gathering, in their sixth meeting since June 2023, when Blinken’s visit to Beijing marked an improvement in strained ties between the world’s two biggest economies.
Blinken discussed Taiwan with Wang and concerns about Beijing’s recent “provocative actions,” included a simulated blockade during the inauguration of Taiwan President Lai Ching-te, a senior U.S. State Department official said.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong urged Myanmar’s military rulers to take a different path and end an intensifying civil war, pressing the generals to abide by their commitment to follow ASEAN’s peace plan.
The conflict pits Myanmar’s well-equipped military against a loose alliance of ethnic minority rebel groups and an armed resistance movement that has been gaining ground and testing the generals’ ability to govern.
Myanmar junta, ethnic armed group claim control of military regional HQ
The junta largely ignored the peace effort, and ASEAN has hit a wall as all sides refuse to enter dialogue.
“We see the instability, the insecurity, the deaths, the pain that is being caused by the conflict,” Wong told reporters. “My message from Australia to the regime is, this is not sustainable for you or for your people.”
An estimated 2.6 million people have been displaced by fighting. The junta has been condemned for its air strikes on civilian areas and accused of atrocities, which it has dismissed as Western disinformation.
ASEAN issued a communique on Saturday stressing it was united behind its peace plan and condemned violence against civilians, urging all sides in Myanmar to end hostilities and start dialogue.
ASEAN also welcomed unspecified practical measures to reduce tension in the South China Sea and prevent accidents and miscalculations, while urging all parties to halt actions that could complicate and escalate disputes.
Discover more from The STATESMAN Newspaper
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Post Disclaimer
THE STATESMAN NEWSPAPER make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the stories hereon as the statements are purely of the news makers.
All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from THE STATESMAN NEWSPAPER.
Contact:
