U.S Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken has called on foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work together to tackle issues like the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, North Korea’s missile programmes.
Shortly before meeting Blinken’s meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Saturday, he urged Southeast Asian countries to help address challenges including Beijing’s “escalating and unlawful actions” in the South China Sea.
He also called the civil war in Myanmar “heartbreaking”.
Even while Blinken singled out China for its actions in the South China Sea against the Philippines, an ally of the United States in defense, he praised both nations for their diplomacy just hours after Manila finished resupplying soldiers in a region Beijing also claims.
China, which has fought the Philippines over Manila’s orders to troops on a navy ship anchored in the Second Thomas Shoal, has been incensed by the troop presence for years, and this has raised concerns about an escalation throughout the area.
The two sides this week reached an arrangement over how to conduct those missions.
Blinken will hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi after Saturday’s security-focused ASEAN Regional Forum in Laos, which will be attended by top diplomats of major powers including Russia, Australia, Japan, the European, Britain and others.
