Blinken Criticises China’s Escalating Actions
Secretary of State Antony Blinken, shortly before meeting his Chinese counterpart on Saturday, urged Southeast Asian countries to help address challenges including Beijing’s “escalating and unlawful actions” in the South China Sea.
Blinken also called the civil war in Myanmar “heartbreaking” and stressed to foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) the need to work together to tackle issues like the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, North Korea’s missile programmes.
Though Blinken singled out China’s over its actions against U.S. defence ally the Philippines in the South China Sea, he lauded both countries for their diplomacy hours after Manila completed a resupply mission to troops in an area also claimed by Beijing.
The troop presence has for years angered China, which has clashed repeatedly with the Philippines over Manila’s missions to troops on a navy ship grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal, causing regional concern about an escalation.
The two sides this week reached an arrangement over how to conduct those missions.
“We are pleased to take note of the successful resupply today of the Second Thomas shoal, which is the product of an agreement reached between the Philippines and China,” Blinken told ASEAN counterparts.
“We applaud that and hope and expect to see that it continues going forward.”
Blinken will hold talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi after Saturday’s security-focussed ASEAN Regional Forum in Laos, which will be attended by top diplomats of major powers including Russia, Australia, Japan, the European, Britain and others.
Ceasefire In Gaza
Blinken also said the United States was “working intensely every single day” to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and find a path to more enduring peace and security.
His remarks follow those of Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, who said the need for sustainable peace was urgent. “We cannot continue closing our eyes to see the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza,” she said.
Reuters/Shakirat Sadiq
