VIENTIANE, July 27 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken criticised Beijing’s “escalating and unlawful actions” in the South China Sea at a summit on Saturday, while his Russian counterpart said Washington has stoked anxiety with its plan for a nuclear deterrence with ally Seoul for the Korean peninsula.
Blinken specifically mentioned China’s aggressive actions by its coast guard towards the Philippines, a U.S. defense treaty partner, in the South China Sea.
However, he also praised both nations for their diplomatic efforts following Manila’s successful resupply mission to troops at a contested shoal on Saturday, without any interference from China.
Blinken participated in the security-oriented ASEAN Regional Forum with diplomats from key countries like Russia, India, China, Australia, Japan, and the EU. Topics included talks on conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, North Korea’s nuclear goals, and South China Sea tensions.
For years, China has been upset by the Philippines’ minimal military presence aboard a retired U.S. navy ship at the Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The nations have engaged in multiple conflicts, sparking worries in the region about a potential increase that may result in U.S. interference.
This week, both parties have come to an agreement on the approach for carrying out those tasks.
Blinken informed ASEAN foreign ministers in Laos that the Second Thomas shoal was successfully resupplied today, which pleased us.
“We commend that and look forward to seeing it persisting in the future.”
Blinken met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the event, marking their sixth encounter since June 2023, when Blinken’s trip to Beijing helped mend strained relations between the top two global economies.
Blinken and Wang talked about Taiwan and worries over Beijing’s recent “provocative actions”, which involved a simulated blockade during Taiwan President Lai Ching-te’s inauguration, according to a senior U.S. State Department official.
The official stated that they decided to keep working on military connections. Blinken talked about China’s backing of Russian defense industry and warned about more U.S. measures against Chinese companies, but Wang did not promise anything.
Wang informed Blinken that despite ongoing communication between China and the US, Washington continued to pursue containment and suppression of Beijing, with the efforts even escalating.
“The dangers confronting Sino-U.S. relations continue to amass, presenting increasing challenges as the relationship reaches a pivotal moment in preventing further deterioration and securing stability,” he stated, as reported by the foreign ministry.
Russia claims that the United States. ‘IGNITING ENVIRONMENT’
Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, stated at the forum that he had concerns about the U.S. nuclear assets’ guidelines in Korea, which were intended to create a united defense against North Korea’s threats.
Russia’s state-owned RIA news agency cited Lavrov as saying that they have yet to receive an explanation for this, but it is clear that it is causing more anxiety.
According to Interfax, he stated that they are deliberately escalating tensions in the Korean peninsula, increasing their military presence, and carrying out exercises specifically to prepare for potential military operations.
Blinken previously stated that the US was putting in a lot of effort daily to reach a ceasefire in Gaza and establish a pathway to long-lasting peace and security.
His comments came after Retno Marsudi, Indonesia’s foreign minister, stated that there was an urgent requirement for sustainable peace. Indonesia is the biggest nation with a majority of Muslim population.
Retno also added that all should adhere to international law, hinting at recent rulings by two international courts regarding Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Retno stated that we cannot ignore the urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Since Israel started its incursion, more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by the fighting, as reported by Palestinian health authorities who do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.
Israeli authorities believe that around 14,000 militants from groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad have either been killed or taken prisoner. This is out of a total estimated force of over 25,000 fighters at the beginning of the conflict. The war started when militants under Hamas’ control launched an attack on Oct. 7, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the abduction of 250 others, as reported by Israeli records
‘THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABLE’
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.
The junta has largely ignored the peace effort, and ASEAN has hit a wall as all sides refuse to enter into 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 stakeholders to halt actions that could complicate and escalate disputes.