ASEAN diplomats meet with China as dispute over Beijing's maritime claims intensifies
VIENTIANE, Laos: Top diplomats from Southeast Asia met with China's foreign ministry on Friday for talks that have escalated amid heightened tensions over Beijing's growing efforts to impose demands on sea in the South China Sea.
Several members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have territorial disputes with China, which have led to direct confrontations that could lead to wider conflicts.
“One wrong step in the South China Sea will turn a small fire into a terrible storm,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said ahead of talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi.
ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei all have disputes with China over their sovereignty claims over much of the South China Sea, one of the waterways that world's largest shipping company. Indonesia has also expressed concern over what it sees as Beijing's encroachment on its exclusive economic zone.
At the same time, the United States and its allies have been conducting regular military exercises and patrols in the region to reinforce the “free and open Indo-Pacific” policy, including the rights to sail into international waters, which has drawn criticism from China.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to arrive on Saturday to attend the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting and is expected to meet with Wang on the way.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is also attending the meetings, and has spoken directly with Wang.
China is a key ally of Russia in its conflict with Ukraine, and Wang emphasized “strategic coordination” between the two countries, China's official news agency Xinhua reported. .
Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, urged ASEAN ministers not to ignore the European conflict when holding their meetings.
“I know that the Russian aggression against Ukraine seems to be far from ASEAN, but the consequences, whether in inflation or the increase in the price of food and fuel, are felt only by our people also, even though Russia is working hard to spread disinformation.” said Borrell.
This year, tensions have escalated between the Philippines — a US treaty ally — — and China. In June, a Chinese ship and a Philippine supply vessel collided near the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, raising alarm.
ASEAN members — Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Laos — stressed at Thursday's opening meeting that it was important not to be drawn together as they all seek to expand China and the United States are their assets. regional impact.
After the talks, Marsudi said the group stressed that it should not be a substitute for any power, otherwise it will be “difficult for ASEAN to become an anchor for stability and peace.” in the area.”
Wang did not mention the South China Sea in his opening remarks when he met with ASEAN ministers on Friday, instead emphasizing Chinese economic and trade ties.
But trouble has come, with Indonesia asking China to “participate in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” Indonesia's foreign minister said.
The ASEAN minister stressed the importance of completing the ongoing work with China on the preparation of the code of conduct in the South China Sea, as the issue still has “stumbling blocks”. ” in ASEAN relations with China, the ministry said.
“Indonesia's position remains the same, which is that all claims must be resolved peacefully through direct dialogue between the parties,” said Marsudi.
China and the Philippines said on Sunday they had reached an agreement they hoped would end the conflict, aimed at establishing an acceptable arrangement for the disputed region without conceding either side's demands.
There are divisions within ASEAN over how to deal with China's maritime claims and the Philippines has been criticized for a lack of support from the group.
At Thursday's meeting, the Philippines pushed for the June conflict to be included in a joint Philippine communiqué after the meeting. Cambodia and Laos, which are close to China, have opposed the term, according to a senior Southeast Asian diplomat who was involved in the domestic negotiations and spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. freely on the matter.
Manila's proposal stated that recent incidents in the South China Sea had caused “damage to property” and “caused injuries” without mentioning specific details such as the names of the masts. water and the government forces are fighting, said the diplomat.
The escalating civil war in ASEAN member state Myanmar is one of the main issues under discussion, and the group has encouraged Thailand to play a more active role, the foreign minister said. Thai Maris Sangiampongsa.
Thailand, which shares a long border with Myanmar, has already been involved in providing humanitarian aid. Maris announced another $250,000 will be given to the ASEAN Coordination Center for Humanitarian Aid and Disaster Management, which oversees plans to deliver aid to Myanmar.
Myanmar's military overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and quelled widespread nonviolent protests seeking a return to democratic rule, leading to an increase in violence and the humanitarian crisis.
ASEAN has pushed for a “five-point consensus” for peace, but Myanmar's military leadership has so far ignored the plan, raising questions about the group's effectiveness and credibility.
We demand an immediate end to the violence in Myanmar, consultation between all parties involved, mediation by the ASEAN Special Envoy, the provision of humanitarian aid through the ASEAN channel. , and the visit of a special envoy to Myanmar to meet with all the parties concerned.
Myanmar has been barred from sending a political representative to the ASEAN meeting and Aung Kyaw Moe, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar, is a representative.
China, which also shares a long border with Myanmar, has played a key role in supporting the military regime while maintaining close ties to the militant armed groups that are currently fighting it.
In his opening statement ahead of the ASEAN-China talks, Aung Kyaw Moe praised Beijing, pledging to continue working on cooperation with China in all fields. the group.
