VIENTIANE: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned Beijing's "increasingly dangerous" actions in the South China Sea as he met leaders of the ASEAN bloc in Laos on Friday (Oct 11).
China has deployed military and coast guard vessels in recent months in a bid to eject the Philippines from a trio of strategically important reefs and islands in the South China Sea.
It has also been ratcheting up pressure over a disputed island group controlled by Japan in the East China Sea, rattling Tokyo and its allies.
"We remain concerned about China's increasingly dangerous and unlawful actions on the South and East China Seas, which have injured people, harmed vessels from ASEAN nations and contradict commitments to peaceful resolution of disputes," Blinken told Southeast Asian leaders gathered in that Laos capital Vientiane.
"The United States will continue to support freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight in the Indo-Pacific," he said.
The top diplomat said the United States also hoped to work with ASEAN leaders to "protect stability across the Taiwan Strait", a source of constant tension with China.
Beijing this week denounced remarks by Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te who vowed to "resist annexation" by China, which claims the self-governing democracy.
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China hopes Japan can meet it halfway, keep relations on right track, says Chinese premier CHINA DISPUTESIn an interview with AFP on Friday, EU chief Charles Michel called for disputes to be resolved though peaceful means in the South China Sea.
"International law has to be respected, including the freedom of navigation and including the importance to resolve disputes through peaceful means," he said.
The summit marked the diplomatic debut of Japan's security-minded new Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who in the past has called for a NATO-style Asian pact with an unstated goal of deterring China.
Japan's foreign ministry said Friday that Ishiba reiterated "serious concerns" about the "intensification of Chinese military activities in areas surrounding Japan" in a meeting with Premier Li Qiang.
Li made a veiled swipe at Ishiba during an ASEAN-related meeting on Thursday, warning of the danger of "attempts to introduce bloc confrontation and geopolitical conflicts into Asia".
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos likewise challenged Li on Thursday over recent clashes in the South China Sea.fb899
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. listens during the 12th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -US Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct 11, 2024. (Photo: AP/Sakchai Lalit)